A Family Affair
by kitchmill
Summary: An older woman has always been the object of Edward's desire. But age is not the only obstacle in their way. Bella is not only married, her sister is Edward's stepmother. When she needs a shoulder to lean on, will Edward be able to stay away? *3rd Place, Judges Vote winner in the Taste of the Forbidden II contest and #10 on the July, 2013 Completed Fics poll on TwiFanfictionRecs.
1. Chapter 1

**A Family Affair**

**Taste of the Forbidden II**

**Pen Name:** kitchmill

**Rating:** M

**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort

**Word Count: ** 6,650

**Pairing:** Bella and Edward

**Summary:** An older woman has always been the object of Edward's desire. But age is not the only obstacle in their way. Bella is not only married, her sister is Edward's step-mother. When she needs a shoulder to lean on, will Edward be able to stay away?

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** This story was an entry in the Taste of the Forbidden II contest and won 3rd Place in the Judges Vote. Thanks to my beta, quietdrabble, for helping make this story better, and for leaving crazy comments in the margins.

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**A Family Affair**

"_Fuck," I grunt, looking down at the beauty whose lips are wrapped around my dick. Her big, brown eyes stare back at me with so much passion I have to look away so I don't blow my load too quickly._

_Sensing I'm holding back, she triples her efforts—sucking harder, going deeper and fondling my balls. I grunt again as I wrap my fingers tighter in her long, mahogany locks and guide her head just the way I want it._

_My hips start thrusting and I'm about to lose it when she swallows around the head of my cock, but a sudden noise distracts me from my pleasure._

_I try to ignore the noise, focusing back on her hot, wet mouth, but the noise gets louder and won't let up. I continue pushing my dick into her mouth, but it's no use. Instead of her hums of appreciation, all I hear is beeping._

I turn my head into my pillow as reality seeps in. My hand slams down on the alarm clock, and I curse under my breath. I should be relieved that the alarm clock saved me from cuming in my sleep like a fucking fourteen-year-old, yet I'm still pissed because my favorite fantasy was interrupted.

It's been a while since I've seen her—two years, to be exact. Ever since that dick of a husband of hers got a new job and made her move halfway across the country. They stayed in town through Christmas, to have one last holiday with our family, before packing up and never looking back.

I saw the sadness in her eyes that last Christmas, though. She tried to hide it, but she couldn't hide it from me. She didn't want to go, didn't want to leave Esme. The two of them are thick as thieves and all that's left of their family.

Esme has my dad now, and me by extension—not that we've ever been too close—but that will never make up for the loss of her parents or her sister moving away.

I was sixteen when my dad married Esme. Mom died when I was young, and I never begrudged my dad finding someone new. It was easy to see he loved Esme with all his heart. But, at sixteen, I was used to it being just my dad and me, so I didn't have much need for a mother figure. I left for college two years after they got married, only returning after I graduated this past June, so it's not as if she had much time to parent me anyway.

The best part of dad and Esme getting together is _her_. Bella. Even at sixteen, I knew she was the most beautiful woman in the world, both inside and out. She was always sweet to me, not in a condescending way, but as a friend. We used to sit and chat, laughing together for hours. I would do anything to make her laugh, to see her smile light her up from the inside.

That last Christmas, before _he_ took her away, there was no light.

My fantasies of her have changed throughout the years. What started as a schoolboy crush has morphed into an unrequited love for my brown haired beauty. Sure, I've dated plenty, but I have yet to find anyone who will measure up to my Bella.

The alarm clock blares again, signaling the end of my time in bed if I want to get to work on time. Begrudgingly, I slink out of bed, knowing I will have to finish what my dream started, all by myself, in the shower. Again.

****A Family Affair****

"Carlisle, did you fix the faucet in the hall bathroom?" I hear Esme ask my dad as I approach the kitchen. I really need to start looking for my own place after the holidays.

"I did it last week, Es," my dad tells her.

I grab an apple out of the basket on the table before either of them notices me.

"Oh, good morning, Edward," Esme says when she turns from the sink.

"Morning," I grumble. Nothing good about it.

She hands me a cup of black coffee, which I take to sit at the table. My extracurricular shower activities didn't make me too late, so I'm able to enjoy the hot brew before I leave.

"Are you going to be home this week, or are you working?" Esme inquires.

"I'll be home. I lose the vacation time if I don't use it," I tell her, wondering where she's going with this. "You're not planning to put me to work around the house, are you?"

She rolls her eyes before answering. "No. But we're going to have company, so I just wanted to make sure you'd be around."

I cock an eyebrow at her, my curiosity peaked.

"Bella's coming to stay for a while."

The coffee currently going down my throat somehow makes its way up my nose as I absorb that information. I sputter and cough, hoping no one recognizes the look of shock on my face before I can wipe it away.

My dad's hand is on my back, pounding hard while I regain my senses.

"You okay?" he asks.

"Yeah," I choke out. "Just went down wrong."

Once I can breathe normally again, I look at Esme. "You must be excited. It's been—what—two years since you've seen her?" I ask, feigning nonchalance.

Esme gets a wistful look in her eyes. "Yeah, I'm glad she's coming." There's more to it, I can tell, but pushing for answers will only make me look like the love-sick fool that I am.

I excuse myself, and my apple and I make our way out the front door.

****A Family Affair****

I am barely able to concentrate at work, with my mind reeling from the news of Bella's impending arrival. Thankfully, work is slow as most real estate transactions don't happen around Christmas.

I wonder how I'm going to make it through any amount of time with her staying in the same house. When she lived in town, I saw her often before I left for college, but she always had her own home to return to. Now, she'll be sleeping right across the hall.

Her husband will be with her, I remind myself. It's not like she'd want me anyway, but having Jasper around will certainly put a damper on my lust for her. Watching him touch her will be difficult, when I want it to be my hands on her.

I know I shouldn't hate Jasper, but it's not something I can help. He was family long before Bella came into the picture, and other than marrying her, he's never done anything to me. He and my mother were cousins, but after she died, we didn't see much of him until he started dating Bella. I was seventeen at the time, and I remember the instant jealousy the first time she brought him to dinner.

When five o'clock rolls around, I pack up the last of my things and make sure my office is cleaned up enough for my vacation, before shutting down my computer and heading out.

I make a quick stop at the convenience store before going home. I don't smoke often, but the upcoming stress definitely calls for a cigarette. I'm hitting the pack against my palm as soon as it's paid for, and I flip one into my mouth the moment I step out of the store. Leaning up against the brick wall next to the door, I light it up and let the nicotine course through my system, clearing my head momentarily.

The house smells wonderful when I get home, and I assume that Esme has been cooking up a storm for the holiday. I find her in the kitchen, her normally perfect hair slipping out of an elastic band, towel thrown over her shoulder and her apron marred with remnants of whatever she's been cooking.

"Do you need some help?" I offer, stepping into the kitchen and witnessing the unusual disarray.

"Oh, Edward!" She startles with her hand over her chest. "I didn't realize you'd be home so soon. Your dad went to the airport to pick up Bella, and I've been trying to get most of the cooking out of the way before she gets here." She surveys the damage before looking back to me. "Guess I got a little carried away."

I laugh at her understatement, and offer my help again.

"Believe it or not," she tells me, "I have everything under control here. Could you be a dear and get some towels from the closet and leave them in the guest room for Bella?"

"For Bella and Jasper, you mean," I correct her.

Her eyes shift a bit before she turns back to the oven. "No, it's just Bella," she says quietly.

I curse internally, and then tell Esme I'll take care of the towels.

After dropping some towels on the dresser in the guest room, I head straight to my room and slam the door, flopping my body on the bed and running my fingers through my unruly hair. I wonder why Jasper isn't coming to visit, and how I'm going to keep my hands off Bella. The woman is twelve years older than me, and obviously married. I know she would never have any interest in me, but that doesn't stop my runaway fantasies. Having her so close will be extremely difficult.

Eventually, I drag myself off the bed and change out of my work clothes into some jeans and a long sleeved shirt. I am attempting to tame my hair when I hear the front door open, and my heart drops to my feet.

She's here.

My lungs start to burn, and I realize I'm holding my breath. I let the air out and inhale deeply, trying to calm my nerves. It's no use—I have to see her. Now. Calm or not.

I walk into the hallway and start down the stairs, wondering if my memories of her have been accurate. Maybe I've built her up so much in my head, remembering the woman my sixteen-year-old self originally idolized, that my more mature twenty-two-year-old self won't be as intrigued. Which is ridiculous because I saw her two years ago, and she was still simply breathtaking.

As I reach the bottom of the steps and turn the corner into the living room, I know I'm wrong. She's every bit as beautiful—if not more so—as she was when I last saw her.

Her mahogany hair is a bit shorter, but probably not noticeable to most people. It still flows down her back and over her shoulders in thick waves. Her legs are long for her 5'4" frame, and look fantastic in her tight jeans. So fantastic, I feel my own jeans tighten a bit. She's wearing a thin, navy sweater that highlights the porcelain skin peeking out of the V at her neck. Her face is flawless, as always—minimal makeup doesn't hide her natural beauty.

It's what I see in her face that startles me. She's smiling at Esme, but it barely leaves her lips. And when she turns towards me, I know there's something wrong. There is no spark in her deep, brown eyes. They are completely flat and lifeless.

She keeps the fake smile on her face as she turns and notices me. "Edward! Look at you, handsome as ever," she says with minimal emotion in her voice.

I feel my cheeks heat at her words, but I know this is not the Bella who left here two years ago. It's like the life has been sucked right out of her, leaving only a shell of the former person.

Bella walks toward me with open arms. "It's great to see you," I tell her as she approaches, grasping her tightly as soon as she is near enough. I try to keep the hug polite and proper, but I feel her arms tighten around my neck so I squeeze her a little more. _God, she feels good_.

I can't help but inhale her unique scent while my head is buried in her hair. It's a scent that has haunted me for ages—slightly floral but not overpowering with a hint of spiciness. My dick reacts to it immediately.

She steps back from our embrace, and I grip her hand, giving it a little squeeze. "You look wonderful, Bella," I say quietly.

Her eyes light momentarily, but just as quickly, the spark is gone.

Esme interrupts, asking me to take Bella's bags up to the guest room. I grab the two heavy suitcases sitting near the door and wonder how long she plans to stay—how long I'll be tortured. This seems to be a bit much for a holiday visit.

When I return downstairs, Esme is setting the table. "Go catch up with your sister while I take care of this." I take the flatware from her hands.

"Thank you, Edward." Esme retreats to the living room.

I hear my dad in the kitchen pulling food out, but I focus my efforts on the women in the other room. Their conversation is quiet, and I can't make out any words.

Dad begins bringing food in to the dining room, and I stop him before he makes a return trip. "Is everything okay with Esme and Bella?" I ask quietly.

He seems perplexed at my question, furrowing his brows. "Of course, what do you mean?"

"I don't know," I confide. "Esme seemed a little out of sorts earlier, and frankly, Bella looks like a zombie."

He chews my comments over for a moment before responding. "Well, as far as I know, there's nothing wrong between the two of them. Bella seemed happy as ever to be here, and Esme was probably just making herself crazy since she was excited to see Bella."

"You're probably right," I concede. I brush off my concern for now, figuring I have plenty of time to see if I'm reading the situation right or not.

Dinner is rather quiet. The majority of the conversation revolves around how good Esme's eggplant parm is. We share a few bottles of wine while we eat, but it does nothing to loosen the mood.

Dad and I clear the table while Esme and Bella clean up in the kitchen. As I walk into the kitchen to deposit some more dishes, I hear Bella's quiet voice. "… rather just stay here. I'm not really up for any social events."

"What party are we missing out on?" I interrupt.

"Oh," Esme answers. "I was just trying to convince Bella to come to the hospital Christmas party with us tomorrow night. You know you're still welcome to come, Edward."

I laugh at Esme's attempt. "How many years have you been trying to get me to tag along, Esme? You know I hate Dad's work functions."

"It's always worth another try, sweetheart."

I smile, but shake my head at her.

Not wanting to feel like I'm intruding, I spend most of the night in my room while "the adults" are catching up. I turn on my iPod and find a relaxing play list while I settle my laptop on my thighs and lean against the headboard of my bed.

I check my email and Facebook accounts, catching up with a few friends here and there. Although there are some high school friends returning to town for the holiday, I have no interest in getting together with any of them. A Facebook relationship is close enough for me.

Noticing the green light next to Emmett's name, I quickly decide that a chat with my best friend is a good idea. Although he still lives in the area, Emmett went to his parents' house a few hours away for the holiday.

"_She's here."_ I don't need to say any more. He'll know what I'm talking about.

Emmett's response is quick. _"How the hell did that happen?"_

"_Visiting her sister for the holiday, I guess. Haven't really had a chance to talk to her."_

"_Is she everything that you remember?"_

Ah, I knew he'd get it. _"All that, and more. And her husband is MIA."_

"_Good luck with that, man."_

I snort at his comment. I'll definitely need all the luck I can get.

When I hear a song come over my iPod for the second time, I look at the clock and realize I've been messing around for three hours. It's time to turn in for the night, so I tell Emmett I'll talk to him later.

I walk into the hallway and see that all the lights in the house are off, so I assume my dad, Esme and Bella have gone to sleep.

As I step towards the bathroom, I hear a quiet noise coming from the guest room. I lean my head onto the closed door and the noise becomes slightly louder. It's sniffling … and gasping.

My heart breaks for Bella and whatever she's going through, but I try to push that aside and give her some privacy. I reluctantly walk away from her door and take care of my business in the bathroom.

After I've finished, I can't help but be drawn back to her door on my way back to my room. She's still crying. I momentarily debate with myself, but in the end, the need to comfort her wins.

My knuckles tap twice on her door and the sniffling stops, but she doesn't answer. Knocking again, I quietly say, "Bella, it's Edward. Can I come in for a minute?"

Again, she doesn't answer, but I hear her moving around after a few seconds and eventually the door opens. She moves back to the bed quickly, facing away from me, as I step into the room. I close the door behind me and walk around the bed, kneeling in front of her.

She is a mess, but no less beautiful than ever. Her hair is in a sloppy bun with stray pieces falling around her face, eyes red and puffy, and a tissue clutched tightly in her hand. She's wearing a pink tank top and black shorts, and I have to remind myself not to dwell on her perky breasts or lean legs.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I offer, putting a hand on her cheek and wiping away the latest tear to fall.

She looks up at me with wide eyes, as if noticing me for the first time. "No, I'm fine," she says, shaking her head and closing her eyes.

"You're not fine, Bella. I could see it from the first moment I saw you downstairs."

She takes a deep breath and looks at me again, steeling herself to act like there's nothing wrong.

Clearly she doesn't want to talk, so I offer her another out. I rise from the floor and sit gingerly on the bed next to her, wrapping my arm around her tiny body and pulling her close. She is stiff and hesitant at first, but relaxes into my embrace as I rub her back and shoulders.

For a long while, I just hold her. Her tears are soaking my T-shirt, but she's quiet and somewhat content. I'd let her stay in my arms forever if that's what she needs.

Eventually she sits up and looks at me with sorrowful eyes. "I'm sorry, Edward. You should go."

"Hey, now," I shush her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll hold you all night if it will make you feel better." I cup her cheek and look deep into her eyes, fighting the urge to kiss her perfect bow-shaped lips.

She laughs a humorless chuckle. "As good as that sounds, that would probably make the situation worse."

My brows furrow. "What do you mean?"

She takes a deep breath and lets it out noisily. I can see her internal battle over whether she wants to talk or not. My silence and patience must make the decision for her.

"Nothing seems to be going right for me these days, and I miss my sister. I thought coming here to visit would help, but it's just making me more confused." She quietly fidgets with the tissue in her hands, and I can see that she's not going to say any more. I wonder if her confusion has anything to do with Jasper's absence.

"I'm really sorry to hear that, Bella. You're a wonderful woman and you deserve to have everything you want in life. If you want to talk, I'll be here for you."

More tears trail down her cheeks, and I swipe them away with my thumbs. Her face is soft under my hands. I pull her back into my chest and hug her tightly.

"Thank you for listening, Edward," she says with another sniffle.

"Any time, sweetheart." I run my fingers through her hair as she clutches my midsection.

I am trying but failing to keep my arousal at bay, and I can only hope that she doesn't look down to see the tent in my sleep pants. It only gets worse when I feel her fingers tighten on my back. My mind floods with images of her doing that while I'm hovering above her, thrusting deeply.

My hands move without my permission—one skimming the bare skin of her shoulder, and the other on her waist where her top has ridden up. She lets out a quiet whimper, and I wonder if it's leftover from crying or in response to my touch. I get my answer when her hands move down my back and under my shirt, gripping my skin and setting me on fire.

I try to hold out, but it's no use. I take a deep breath, inhaling her intoxicating scent, before holding her jaw in both hands and attacking her mouth with my own. She stiffens and lets out a squeak. It doesn't take long for me to realize that she's not kissing me back, and I'm making a total fool out of myself.

I pull back and immediately apologize. "I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have …" I can't even look at her as I get up and leave the room. She needed a friend, not some hormonal asshole taking advantage of her.

Sleep doesn't come easy for me after my epic fuckup. I stare at the ceiling for a while before putting my iPod on to try to quiet my mind. All I can think about is how I've ruined everything. Having Bella as a friend is better than not having her at all, and now she probably hates me. I mean, _who does that?_ She's obviously upset and I kissed her? I'm sure that is just what she was looking for.

Music isn't helping to turn off my mind, as all I can think about is the feel of Bella's lips on mine. I don't quite understand how I misunderstood her signals. I doze off here and there, but end up on the back porch, pack of cigarettes in hand, as dawn starts breaking over the yard. It's cold as fuck out here. Maybe I'll catch pneumonia and have to stay in my room for the rest of Bella's visit.

Voices in the kitchen eventually draw me back into the house. I'm sure Esme is making a huge breakfast, so I walk in quietly, avoiding all eye contact, and slip back up to my room. I can feel Bella's eyes on me as I walk, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I don't even want to imagine the disgust she's glaring my way.

I do join everyone for breakfast, but keep my head down and focus on my meal. I know I'm being immature about this, only giving Bella more reason to be revolted by my actions, but I'm afraid everyone will see through me if I even look in her direction. It's best to keep our interaction to a minimum in front of anyone else. I'm sure I'll be able to have a mature conversation with her—at some point—in private.

I spend most of the day either in my room or on the back porch, allowing the nicotine to soothe my frayed nerves. Late in the afternoon, I finally fall into a dreamless sleep.

A knock at my door wakes me, and I look at the clock to realize it's dinner time.

"Yeah," I call out in a gravelly voice.

"Esme just wanted you to know there's plenty of food for dinner," Dad says as he opens the door and steps inside dressed in a suit. "We're leaving for the party in a few minutes. Everything okay?" he asks with a quizzical look.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well last night."

"Alright, well call me if you need anything. Bella's not coming with us. I'm sure she'd love some company if you're not going out tonight."

"Sure, Dad."

He closes the door, and I stare up at the ceiling, doubting she'll want my company any time soon. When I hear the garage door close and Dad's car drive down the street, I grab my jacket and head back out to the porch.

Taking a long drag of my smoke, my eyes are unfocused on the vast yard and surrounding woods. My mind wanders, trying to come up with something to say to Bella, when the air around me becomes heavy. I didn't even hear her come outside, but she's suddenly standing next to me.

"Do you mind if I …" she says, gesturing to the pack of cigarettes on the railing.

"Help yourself." I pull the lighter out of my pocket and flick it, holding it out to light her cigarette. "Didn't know you smoked," I comment quietly.

"Not often," she says softly. I watch her plump, pink lips wrap around the butt as she inhales a drag. We're both quiet for several minutes before she breaks the silence. "Were you going to keep ignoring me?"

I sigh and take the last drag of my smoke before dropping the butt into a tin can. "I wasn't ignoring you." I pause, making sure what comes out of my mouth is worded properly. "I didn't think it was a good idea to talk with anyone else around."

She nods in understanding.

"Look, Bella," I say, turning towards her and watching her put out her smoke. "I shouldn't have kissed you, and I'm sorry about that. You needed a friend, not an asshole trying to take advantage of you."

"Edward—" she starts, but I cut her off with my hand held up.

"No, Bella. I have no excuse. You've always been wonderful to me, and I want to be there for you. I got carried away with my feelings, but it won't happen again."

She looks at me with fire in her eyes before speaking. "Are you finished now?"

"Yes," I say, chuckling at the spitfire that I know and love.

"Edward, look … I'm the one who should be apologizing right now. The problem is, well, what you did was much more welcome than it should be. It scared me. I spent most of the night debating whether I should go to your room or not."

She sighs and looks down at her admission, while my eyes are about to pop out of my head. My mind races before finally realizing that it's now or never. I need to tell her how I feel—how I've always felt.

"Bella …" My fingers go to her chin, lifting it slowly so she'll look at me. Quietly, I open myself up to her fully. "I've wanted you since the day I met you. I know back then, it was just some silly crush, but believe me when I tell you it's much more than that now. Every woman I have ever been with, I've compared them to you. And none of them have even come close." Her eyes widen at my confession, but I'm not finished.

"You are the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman I have ever met. I know you're not in a good place right now, but whatever you need from me, I'll give it to you. If you need a friend, I will be a friend. If you need a lover, I will gladly show you what it's like to be worshipped."

I am completely surprised when her arms wrap around my neck and she pulls me towards her, attacking my lips with ferocity. My mouth moves over hers, sucking first her top lip and then the bottom into my mouth, running my tongue over the length.

A guttural groan leaves my throat when I feel the tip of her tongue against mine, and I push her body against the railing as we continue to assault each others' mouths.

My lips move to her jaw and neck, tasting the sweet skin I have longed for as long as I have known her. Her moans fill the air and I whisper in her ear. "I've wanted to hear those sounds for so long." I nibble on her ear lobe and then soothe it with my tongue.

Her breath catches in her throat before I feel her pushing against my shoulders. "Edward, wait." She shakes her head and looks up at me with a mix of lust and confusion. "We can't do this. I can't take advantage of you like this."

I chuckle under my breath. "Take advantage of me?" I ask, leaning down to capture her eyes. "Bella, we're two consenting adults. I am fully aware of what I'm doing."

"But …" she stammers. "I'm twelve years older than you. And … I'm your aunt!"

I stop her with another kiss, and then look directly into her eyes. "I don't care how old you are. I'm old enough to make my own decisions. And frankly, I have never seen you as my aunt."

"Edward, I'm married."

I look at her again and see the indecision written all over her face. I know this is wrong as much as she does, but I'm willing to live with the consequences. "I know you can't offer me more than tonight, Bella. But, if you want me, I'm here. Let me take your pain away," I say, smoothing the hair back from her face. "Let me help you forget everything, just for tonight."

"Shit … you really want to be with me?"

"I want you more than I have ever wanted anyone else," I answer honestly.

"Oh god, I want you, too," she admits quietly.

"Let's go inside." She nods and I take her hand, leading her through the kitchen and up the stairs. I pause momentarily at the top of the stairs before deciding that I may as well fulfill my every fantasy tonight—that includes taking her in my bed.

I pull her through my bedroom door, shutting and locking it behind us. The desk lamp is the only light in the room, casting a soft, orange glow across the space. Still holding her hand, I lift it up to my mouth and kiss each of her knuckles, enjoying the shiver I feel go through her body.

When I release her hand, I quickly push the jacket off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor with a soft thud before I cup her face in my hands and kiss her as I've always wanted to. She removes my jacket for me as I start to walk her back towards the bed. When the backs of her knees hit, I gently lay her down and scoot her up, crawling above her without breaking our contact.

My mouth moves down to the creamy skin of her collar bone as my hands drag her flimsy tank top up, ensuring that my fingers maintain contact with her body. As I move across her chest, I can see her hardened nipples begging for my attention.

I whip her shirt off and immediately attack her breasts with my hands and mouth—pinching, pulling, sucking and biting. Her whimpers urge me on, and I don't give her any time to second guess this. I want her. I need her.

Her fingers dig into my scalp and pull on my hair, causing me to grow painfully harder and jerk my hips into her leg. Her back arches, forcing her breasts further into my hand and mouth. Growling against her skin, my free hand moves down to the waistband of her soft pants.

"I'm going to make you feel so good, Bella," I say as I move back up to kiss her beautiful mouth.

"Please, Edward," she begs quietly.

My fingers wiggle under the elastic to find her bare, hot, and wet for me. I don't waste any time as I dip down to her center and gather her wetness, spreading it around her clit as I rub tight circles.

Her hips buck and she whispers out, "Fuck!" at my touch. I could easily bring her to orgasm with just my fingers, but I'm greedy and I want more. If this is my only chance to be with Bella, I need to taste her.

I slip down her body and remove her pants as I go. I don't waste any time before I dive in to savor her, licking from her entrance to clit in one smooth motion, groaning against her hot flesh as the divine flavor hits my tastebuds.

I latch my lips around her nub and suck gently, eliciting moans and whimpers from Bella. I grind my cock into the mattress once, looking for any kind of relief, but lift onto my knees knowing I want to save every stroke and thrust for her.

Two fingers find their way to her entrance and push inside. "Fuck, so tight," I grit out. I can't wait to be inside her heat. I curl my fingers, rubbing the spongy patch repeatedly as her body writhes in my arms.

My free hand reaches up to grab hold of one of her beautiful tits. They're not too big, but I always thought more than a mouthful was a waste. Bella's tits are perky and perfect. I massage first one, then the other, before pinching and rolling her nipple.

Just the tip of my tongue circles her clit until I feel her inner walls start to flutter around my fingers. I flatten my tongue and increase the pressure, causing her to shatter around me. Her legs shake as her muscles clamp my fingers, pulling them further inside.

"Oh, god … yes!" she screams out.

I look up to see the sight I have dreamed of for six years—Bella letting go with an orgasm I gave her. It's even more beautiful than I could have imagined. Her chest is heaving, head thrashing from side to side and her entire body is flushed to a beautiful pink. This image will be forever burned into my brain, even if I never get to see it again.

Without giving her much time to recover or to back out, I crawl up her body removing my clothes as I go and kiss her again, pushing my erection through her folds and getting it wet in her juices.

"Are you on birth control?" I ask quietly.

She nods her head. "The shot."

"I'm clean," I promise. I've never even wanted to have sex bare before, but this is Bella. I don't want anything between us. She nods again, and that's all the permission I need.

I push into her slowly, allowing us both to enjoy every second of this. Her fingers dig into my back, and it's pleasure bordering on pain, but she can mark me all she wants. I'm already hers. I always have been.

My eyes close, and I breathe deeply once I'm buried balls deep in her. I'm far from inexperienced, but there is _no_ experience like being with Bella, and I'd like to make it last.

Once I'm relatively under control, I open my eyes and look at her while I pull most of the way out and slowly push back in. Her gaze locks on mine and the intensity ratchets up a notch or twelve. Our hips move in tandem, slowly, savoring every bit of our connection.

Bella grabs the back of my head, pulling me down for another deep kiss while our bodies speed up slightly. Our tongues battle for dominance, but this is one fight I am not afraid to lose. I let her command the kiss and anything else she wants until we finally break for oxygen.

"So fucking good," I tell her.

I lean on my forearm to free a hand for exploration. Starting at her hip, I work my way up her exquisite body, stopping to cup her breast, ending with my fingers buried in her hair. I hold her head while my tongue and lips discover every inch of her neck.

I whisper in her ear when her breathing starts to pick up. "I want to feel you cum on my cock, Bella."

"Fuck!" she hisses out through clenched teeth. "Harder, Edward!" she says through erratic breaths. "More!"

Hearing her beg is almost my undoing. I immediately comply.

I can feel the tightening in my balls and know I won't last much longer. My hand snakes between our bodies until I reach her clit, and I rub in time with the movement of my hips. "Come on, baby. Let go for me."

My words seem to do the trick. She lets out a breathless scream as her walls clench and shudder repeatedly on my cock. I let the feeling of her orgasm take over and spill inside of her, shooting four long streams before stilling my hips and collapsing on her tiny body.

I take a moment to recover before I roll us sideways so I don't crush Bella, keeping our connection intact. Her head rests on my bicep while my arm wraps tightly around her waist, pulling her body as close as possible. If it were up to me, I'd never let go.

Our breathing returns to some semblance of normal, and I kiss the top of her head. I'm rewarded with her lips on my chest.

She hisses slightly as my limp dick slips out of her, breaking our connection. When she rolls away from me and gets out of bed, I figure my time is up. As much as I want her to stay, I can't be pushy. I'll give her whatever space she needs.

"I'm just gonna …" she says, grabbing my shirt and pulling it over her head. "I need to clean up." She looks around the room nervously before her eyes land back on me. "I'll be right back?" she asks more than tells me.

"I'll be right here," I assure her, relaxing a bit now that I know she's coming back.

She lets out a breath before darting out of the room. I hear the bathroom door close, and my mind replays every detail, every sound, every second of the last hour. I must be lost in thought, because I don't hear her come back into the room. Her warm hand on my chest and her little body snuggling up to me reassures me that it was all real.

"I have a confession," she says quietly.

"Oh, yeah?" I laugh quietly through my nose. "It can't be any worse than mine."

She takes a deep breath, leaning her chin on my chest to look up at me. I slide my fingers through her hair when I look down at her. "I've wanted you for a long time, too."

I give her a crooked grin. "Well, you've got me for as long as you want me."

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**A/N:** I've had a few requests to expand this, so let me know your thoughts. If there is enough interest, I may expand. I'd love to hear from you!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: The overwhelming response was that everyone wanted more, so I'm giving you more! I don't have a set schedule for updating, but I will try to update about once a week.**

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**Chapter 2**

Waking up groggy, I reach across the bed in search of Bella's body but find only cold sheets. I roll over and bury my face into the pillow she slept on and groan loudly. I know she stayed for a while because I woke up several times to cuddle her body closer. Her scent lingers on the pillow and sheets, reminding me that last night was not a dream.

Today, I have to face reality though. I don't know exactly what is going on with her, and there is a distinct possibility that last night was a one-time thing. As disappointing as that is, she did say she wanted me—_has wanted me for a while_—last night. I'll have to put my frustration aside and let her lead wherever this is going.

I throw on some pajama pants and a T-shirt and make my way downstairs. Bella is sitting at the kitchen table with Esme when I enter, both women nursing cups of coffee.

"Good morning, Edward," Esme greets. "The coffee's still hot."

"Thanks," I reply, noting how Bella is keeping her back turned to me. I know I have to try not to read into every miniscule interaction and act normally around her, but it's easier said than done. I'm not exactly sure I even know what "normal" is.

I pour myself a cup of coffee and take a bagel from the counter, bringing it all to the table where I sit down across from Bella. "Morning, Bella." I keep my head bent over the bagel as I spread some butter on it, trying for nonchalance with my greeting.

"Morning," she returns.

The women go back to their discussion of last night's Christmas party, with Esme imparting the latest gossip about our small town's residents. I tune them out while I eat and drink my coffee, other than sneaking glances at Bella across the table a few times. _God, she's beautiful._ Even first thing in the morning, she's the most alluring woman I've ever seen.

I only catch her looking at me once, but it's enough. She's quick to hide her face behind her hair. If nothing else, at least I know that last night had some effect on her.

Gathering my dishes, I stand up and move to rinse them in the sink before placing them in the dishwasher.

"Will you be around today, Edward?" Esme asks.

"I'll be home in the afternoon. I actually have an errand to run this morning."

"Okay, that sounds good. Your father will be home later, and we were planning to keep things low key tonight. We'll probably just watch some Christmas movies after dinner if you want to join us."

My eyes shift to Bella's momentarily, and I see her nod her head minutely. "Sounds great. I'll see you ladies later, then."

I shower quickly and get myself ready for the day. As much as I hate last minute shopping—or shopping, in general—I have one more gift to purchase today.

I steer my car down to the small shopping area in town, but head away from the large retailers that will be packed to the gills on Christmas Eve day. I know exactly where I'm going.

_Buy The Book_ is a small book store set away from the other retailers, and it will have just what I need. I don't know the exact title that I want, but I know I will find it here.

The bell above the door jingles as I walk in, and immediately I get lost in the scent of old books. This place sells a mix of new and used books. I've never been disappointed when I browse in here. As expected, there are only a few customers milling about. A woman I recognize approaches me as I start down the aisles.

"Edward, it's good to see you," Mrs. Cope says. Shelly is old enough to be my grandmother, and just as sweet as if she were. She and her husband have owned this place for years. Some days, I don't know how they keep it running with the competition from large chains and the internet, but it seems they have a good deal of support from our small town.

"Hi, Mrs. Cope." I greet her with a kiss to her cheek. "You look lovely, as always."

"Such a shameless flirt," she says with a smack to my arm and a blush on her cheeks. I give her my best crooked grin. Shaking her head, she asks, "What can I help you with today, dear?"

"I think I'm just going to browse for a bit, if that's okay. I'm looking for a gift, and I have a feeling I'll know it when I see it."

"You go right ahead, and holler if you need me." She leaves me with a pinch to my cheek.

I make a beeline for the Classics section and start browsing through the used books. It doesn't take me long to stumble onto the perfect gift: a three volume, leather bound collection of Shakespeare's works. Placing it on the table behind me, I continue browsing, although I'm fairly certain I won't find anything better.

I spend about half an hour looking over the shelves, finding a few new editions for my own library, but nothing to beat the gift I've selected. I take my selections to the counter where I find Mrs. Cope saying goodbye to another customer.

She looks over my purchases and sighs. "You found my hidden Shakespeare."

"Indeed, I did. You didn't think you could hide it from me, did you?" I say with a quirk of my eyebrow.

"I'll never understand how you're still single, dear," she says, patting my hand. "Such a handsome face, and the intellect to back it up … You sure I can't get you to change your mind about my Jessie?"

I laugh and shake my head at her. "You know as well as I do that Jessica and I would never work." I've known her granddaughter for ages, and the girl doesn't have an intellectual bone in her body. She's sweet and would never harm a fly, but I'd be bored to tears, and Mrs. Cope knows it.

"Can't fault an old woman for trying. You'd make a wonderful grandson."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cope. But, the books are actually a gift for a special lady."

She rings my purchases up and hands my credit card back to me. "Well, she's a lucky young lady, then. I hope she's good to you, because you, my boy, are one of a kind."

I smile and thank her again, taking the bag with my purchases before making my way back to my car.

I return home after stopping for a few other errands—including another pack of cigarettes, because lord knows, my stress isn't going to lessen as long as Bella's in the house. Dad's in the living room, while Bella and Esme are in the kitchen. I run up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and toss my purchases into my room.

It's late in the afternoon by the time we all gather in the living room with mugs of eggnog and bowls of popcorn. My dad lights the fireplace, while Esme and Bella go through the extensive selection of DVDs, finally settling on _Christmas with the Kranks_. I'm happy their selection isn't something sappy and overplayed. I have a feeling this has something to do with Bella's mood.

Esme and my father settle down on one of the two couches, so I make my way next to Bella on the other couch, bringing a blanket with me.

"Care to share?" I ask with a quirk of my eyebrow, holding up the blanket.

She gives me a small smile before answering. "Sure, thanks."

I try not to be too obvious about sitting close to her, but figure it's somewhat acceptable since we're sharing a blanket and a bowl of popcorn. The blanket gets tossed over both our laps. There's still a respectable amount of space between us, and I place the popcorn bowl half on my leg and half on hers as the movie starts.

About forty-five minutes into the movie, I'm tired of holding the bowl that neither of us is eating from, so I move it to the coffee table along with our mostly untouched eggnog. As I sit back, I pull the blanket up further and move my body closer to Bella. I'm not at all surprised when I see her shift her body and snuggle up under the cover, moving closer to me.

Her hand lands on my thigh, and my entire being unwinds at her touch. I cover her hand with mine and squeeze gently before lacing our fingers together.

As the movie plays on, our bodies inch closer to one another. There's no funny business—just being at ease and relaxing with each other. It feels like it was meant to be this way. Her body is a perfect fit against my side. My arm wraps comfortably around her. The skin of her side feels like silk under my fingers.

Which is exactly why I should have known it was too perfect to last.

When the doorbell rings at 5:30 on Christmas Eve, both Bella and I both tense up. My dad gets up to answer the door, and the voice I hear causes me to suck in a lungful of air. One look at Bella has me believing she's not breathing at all. Her body is frozen solid and her fingers are digging into my thigh.

"It looks like we have an unexpected visitor!" my dad announces happily as he walks back into the room.

Jasper follows him around the corner, and I feel like my world just came to an end.

"Well, isn't this cozy," he sneers in Bella's direction.

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**I'd love to hear your thoughts. Reviews inspire me to write faster.**

**Don't forget to find me on Facebook. I'm Kitchmill Fanfic. I like to post teasers and RobPorn.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Although I have no set schedule for updating right now, I'm hoping to update once or twice per week. It will all depend on how far ahead I can write, and you know your reviews inspire me to write faster!**

**I'm looking for a beta for this story, so if you are one or know one who has some time to help me out, send me a PM.**

**I have a one shot entered in the Happily Ever After Twific Contest. Check out all of the entries at www dot fanfiction dot net / u / 4523690 /TwiHEAcontest. Entries are anonymous, but read them all and vote for your favorite. Voting starts on March 30, 2013.**

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**Chapter 3**

It's been an hour since Jasper arrived and I've been pulling at my hair so much, I'm surprised I have any left on my head. Sitting in the kitchen with my dad and Esme, it's difficult not to listen to Bella and Jasper's loud conversation in the living room.

He's accusing her of leaving him for another man.

And she continues to reiterate that she will no longer look the other way while he fucks his secretary.

A growl slips out under my breath. I have to sit on my hands to keep myself from going in there and punching that asshole in the face. What kind of idiot would cheat on a woman as wonderful as Bella?

My dad hands Esme another tissue while he tries to comfort her. We've discussed making ourselves scarce to let Bella have some privacy with Jasper, but where is there to go on Christmas Eve? I won't volunteer this information, but there is no way I am leaving Bella alone with him now anyway.

Eventually, Dad and Esme go upstairs to their room and I make my way to my new favorite spot—the back porch. Smoking is doing nothing right now to calm my nerves. All I want to do is go to Bella, hold her, and tell her everything will be okay.

After about a half hour on the porch, I hear the front door slam followed by the slamming of a car door. The car starts up and screeches off down the street. My breath hitches, wondering if that was Jasper being kicked out, or if it was Bella running away.

The answer comes quickly when the back door opens and Bella steps out. Her cheeks are tear-stained and her face is red. I pull out another cigarette and hold it out in her direction. She accepts it with a small smile on her face as I light it for her.

I give a gentle tug on the sleeve of her jacket, pulling her from our spot by the railing over to the lounge chairs closer to the house. She follows willingly. I sit first and then pull her onto my lap, wrapping my arms around her waist and holding her close.

She inhales and exhales the smoke quietly for a few minutes until there's nothing left except the butt. I don't say anything, letting her have whatever time she needs. I hope the comfort of my embrace is helping in some way.

Finally, I feel her shift in my arms and take a deep breath. "I quit my job last month," she says quietly. "I finished up the semester, but knew there was no way I would be going back to Arizona once I left."

"That must have been hard for you," I comment. Bella's a second grade teacher and has always loved her job. I can't imagine what it was like for her to leave the kids in the middle of the school year, even though she was only there for a year and a half.

She reaches up and wipes some tears from her face. "Oddly enough, it was harder to leave the kids than it was to know I was leaving Jasper." A bitter laugh escapes her throat.

"Bella," I say gently. "You don't have to tell me, but I _will_ listen if you want. I don't want you to feel pressured to talk to me. I can go get Esme if you'd feel more comfortable talking to her."

"No," she says. "If you don't mind, I'd rather talk to you right now."

I nod my approval and pick up her hand, giving it a squeeze of reassurance, noting that her rings are no longer on her finger.

"Things with Jasper have been going downhill for a while. He was married to his job even before we moved, and the promotion only made things worse. I've wanted kids … well, I've wanted them since before we were even married, but that just wasn't in the plan for him when his career was taking off. He kept telling me 'soon' or 'once I get settled' or some other timeframe that never happened.

"That would have been fine if I was still an important part of his life." She sniffles again and turns her body to face me, keeping her eyes on her lap. "I understand not having time for a kid, but don't you think you should make time for your wife?"

I nod my head in agreement before she continues.

"After a while, I felt like I was only there to make a good impression on his boss and coworkers. I rarely saw him, unless he needed me to attend one of his work functions and play the dutiful wife. He worked long hours, often times not coming home until after I was asleep.

"It was at one of those ridiculous work functions in September—right around my birthday—that I noticed something was going on. At first, I thought I was imagining things … the slight flirtation from his secretary, the way he was touching her just a little too familiarly. I tried not to read too much into it, you know? But, it didn't take long for me to get confirmation.

"One morning, Jasper was in the shower while I was getting ready for work and I heard his phone buzzing. I figured it could be important, so I picked it up and saw a text flash across the screen. 'Need you now, I'm so wet for you' is what it said," she says bitterly. "I dropped the phone and ran out of the house."

I hold her a little tighter while she takes some deep breaths. When she settles herself, she continues.

"It didn't take long to confirm everything, but it took me a while to get my mind wrapped around it. When I finally did, I knew that I'd be coming back here. I've missed Esme since the moment we moved and knew I needed to come home. But, you have to understand, Edward … I'm not a cheater. As strained as things were in my marriage, I never once sought comfort elsewhere. And, even with you …" she looks right into my eyes and holds her hand on my cheek. "My last words to Jasper before I left for the airport were, 'I want a divorce. I'll send for the rest of my things.' I didn't even tell him where I was going, but obviously, it didn't take a genius to figure out that I'd come here."

"So, he chased you down to get you back," I confirm.

"Yes." Her fingers twine together as she fiddles with them in her lap. "But, I've already made my decision. I thought long and hard about this before I left, and I don't want to stay married to him. I could never forgive what he's done—what he'd been doing for a while."

I place my hand over hers to stop the fidgeting. "Have you told Esme what's been going on?" I ask gently.

She nods. "She's known since I started to suspect something, and she's been completely supportive. I didn't tell her that I was leaving him for good until I got here though."

"You know you have my support, whatever you need, right?" I squeeze her hands in reassurance.

"I do know that," she says, looking into my eyes as more tears begin to fall. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this last night, though. You probably think I used you to get back at Jasper."

"Hey, now." I cut her off gently. "I don't think that at all. You needed comfort and I offered it to you willingly." I hug her close again. "I'm here for you, Bella," I murmur quietly. "Anything you need."

"I wish I could tell you what it is that I need right now, but I really don't know," she mumbles with her face buried in my chest.

"That's okay, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere."

We sit quietly for a while, arms wrapped around each other, until Bella speaks again.

"I don't think he's going to give up so easily."

"Well, he's going to have to go through all of us to get to you," I promise.

With a deep sigh, she lifts her head and looks at me. "Thank you for understanding, Edward. I know I've put you in a bad position, and you have every reason to hate me. I know there's more that we should talk about—"

"Not now." I kiss the top of her head before adding, "Not until you're ready. I'll be here."

She gives me a relieved smile before standing up and reaching for my hand. "Come inside?" she requests, and I comply.

We make our way into the kitchen and each grab some food, before sitting down and talking about everyday things while we eat. The conversation is light and easy—how it always has been between us—and I suspect Bella needs this to get her mind off of her troubles. When we finish eating, it's almost as if there's an unspoken agreement that we part ways.

I watch her as she closes the door to the guest room, and with a sigh, I head into my own room.

I don't know how long I sit on the end of my bed with my fingers gripping my hair. My mind is in a million different places. I know I should be upset with Bella. In a way, she did use me. But I can't bring myself to feel anything other than relief that she allowed me to comfort her. At some point, we will have to discuss whatever is going on between us. For now, though, I'll be here for her—as I promised—in any way she needs me.

It's entirely possible that she will continue to use me. Sadly, I'm okay with that. I'm sure the emotional attachment I have for her is not the same as what she feels for me, but since every other intimate experience I've ever had has left me completely unfulfilled, I'm happy to offer her whatever part of myself I can. It seems she's the only one capable of filling the empty space that's always been in my heart.

When I finally get myself together, I grab the bag from my earlier shopping trip and pull out the books. I carefully place them in the gift bag I purchased, along with some tissue paper and the other item I bought. Regardless of what is going on in Bella's life or between the two of us, I want her to have this.

A soft knock sounds at my door just as I've crawled into bed.

"Come in," I call out quietly.

The door opens and a hesitant Bella is on the other side.

"Hi," she says nervously.

Knowing what she needs, I lift the covers and motion her over. She bites her lip before closing the door with a quiet click. I smile at her as she climbs into bed with me. As soon as I click the lamp off, I pull her into my arms and hug her close.

"Thanks," she says before kissing my cheek.

"You're welcome." I run my fingers through her hair as she settles on the pillow next to me. My movements don't stop until I know she's sleeping soundly, and only then do I allow myself to close my eyes and relax.

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**I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave me a review! And, come find me on Facebook so we can play! I post teasers, story recs, and pics of Rob.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Keeping up my end of the bargain, here's another chapter since you guys were so awesome with reviews for the last one! I love each and every review, favorite and follow. They inspire me to keep writing.**

**Don't forget to check out the stories entered in the Happily Ever After Twific contest. One of them is mine, but I can't tell you which one. Voting starts tomorrow.**

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**Chapter 4**

Bright sun filters through the blinds of my window on Christmas morning, waking me long before I would otherwise get up. When I feel a hand trailing up and down my chest, I wonder if it was really the sun waking me, or a certain someone who I've held close all night.

The arm that is still wrapped around Bella squeezes her tight to my body. "Good morning." My voice comes out gruffer than I expect. I feel her cheek lift in a smile against my chest while her hand continues to explore over my T-shirt.

"Sorry to wake you," she says in a small voice.

"It's fine. Are you okay?" I lift my head to kiss the top of hers, letting her know I'm here if she needs me.

"I'm fine," she says as she slips her hand down to the hem of my shirt. Without fanfare, she slides her fingers underneath and begins to stroke the skin just above the edge of my pants. Waking up with morning wood and a beautiful woman wrapped around you is bad enough. Her hot fingers on my bare skin are about to send me over the edge.

I gently grab her wrist and stop its movement. "I'm about three seconds away from not being a gentleman," I warn gently.

She takes a deep breath before lifting her head and looking me in the eye. "Maybe I don't want you to be a gentleman."

"Fuck," I curse under my breath. Without warning, I flip us over so she's trapped beneath me. "Last chance, Angel." My hand slides up her ribcage, along the silky skin under her tank top as I speak.

Instead of answering, she wraps an arm around my neck and pulls my face down to hers. Our lips meet in a frantic kiss, tongues lapping and teeth nipping. Her hot mouth is doing insane things to me. I give up on holding my body over hers, and grind my hard-on into her. She moans into my mouth and I pull away.

"You're gonna have to be quiet, baby," I whisper in her ear as I kiss my way up and down her neck. "You want this?" I ask, grinding into her again to illustrate my point.

"Please," she begs in a moan.

"Then you're gonna have to keep it so only I can hear those wonderful noises."

I nip at the junction of her neck and shoulder before moving down her chest.

Bella's fingernails dig into my shoulder blades as she grabs fists full of my shirt and pulls it over my head. I do the same with her top, dropping my chest to her stomach to feel her bare skin on mine while my mouth begins working her tits over.

I cover her entire areola with my mouth and suck hard, earning a quiet groan from Bella. My fingers pinch and pull at her other nipple, and her hips thrust up against me.

"Oh god," she whispers, as my other hand makes its way into the waistband of her tiny shorts.

Her fingers tug on my hair as mine make contact with her wet center. "Fuck, baby … so wet for me," I say against her breast.

I circle my fingers around her clit a few times and then swiftly push two inside her. Her hips lift off the bed as she moans.

"I need you, Edward," she says. I feel her feet at my hips, trying to push my pants down. She's as eager as I am, so I don't waste any more time as I rid her of her shorts and follow with my pants and boxers.

I crawl back over her naked body, but Bella surprises me with her strength as she pushes on my shoulders and switches our positions, straddling my lap. I give her half a smirk before pulling her down and kissing her for all I'm worth.

Her wet center slides over my cock several times before she puts us both out of our misery and takes me inside her. Our moans are muffled by each others' mouths as my dick is fully encased in her heat. My hands roam her body as she rocks her hips back and forth. She sits up fully, placing her hands on my chest for support.

"So fucking beautiful," I tell her quietly as my hands latch onto her hips and I stare at the erotic vision above me.

She only whimpers in response, and that little noise sets me off. I sit up quickly and pull her legs around my waist, latching them behind my back.

"Hold on, baby. This isn't going to be gentle," I warn.

"Oh, god," she squeaks out, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I place one hand on the bed for leverage and use the other to hold her hip while I begin pistoning into her from below. She holds herself steady for a moment and then begins to meet my thrusts from above. As soon as we find our rhythm, I let go of her hip and bring my hand around to her clit. I need to see her fall apart, and I'm not sure I can wait much longer.

She gasps as my thumb presses on her and circles around, bringing her mouth down to mine to muffle her moans. Our tongues mingle momentarily, but just as quickly, the kiss is forgotten as we both struggle to breathe. With our lips touching, I watch her face as she begins to orgasm. Her face flushes and her eyes roll back before squeezing shut tightly.

"That's it, baby. Just feel me," I whisper.

Her inner walls tighten and I grunt in pleasure, unable to hold back any longer. Her mouth drops open and I can tell she's struggling to keep quiet as her muscles clench around me. My own orgasm rips through me, and I shoot my load forcefully inside her, biting my lip to keep from screaming. After a few more pumps, I still our bodies and wrap my arms around her tightly, leaving no space between us.

I bury my forehead in her shoulder, panting my breath across her chest while Bella's face is burrowed into my hair. I can feel her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Rolling us sideways, I lay us down with our bodies still entwined so we can catch our breath.

"Fuck," she breathes. "So good."

Forget breathing. I kiss her deeply for that comment. I hope someday she'll understand just what she does to me—what she means to me—but for now, I'll have to settle for showing her whenever I can.

We eventually come up for air and decide we should show our faces since it's Christmas morning. I couldn't care less who knows about us, but for Bella's sake, I know she's not ready to tell her sister that she's sleeping with her step-son. She tiptoes across the hall after we agree it's time to part, while I plan on staying in my room for a while to defer any suspicion.

I grab my laptop, intent on seeing if Emmett is online. Who am I kidding? He's always available to chat through Facebook on his phone.

"_Merry Christmas. Things are getting interesting around here."_

"_How so?"_ he responds.

It takes me a moment to decide how to reply. _"We've been together … twice … but her soon-to-be ex showed up last night."_

"_Holy shit! Details, bro!"_

I explain to him everything that happened as quickly as I can, and though I expect some kind of comment about how I should stay away from Bella, I'm surprised that he's nothing but supportive. He tells me a little about how his holiday is going before I log off and prepare myself to face my family.

I head downstairs with Bella's gift in my hand and place it under the tree while everyone else is in the kitchen before I join them. Esme's breakfast is amazing, as always, and we eat and talk while avoiding the subject of Jasper's visit last night.

Once breakfast is cleaned up, we make our way into the living room and my dad announces that it's time for presents. He hands something to everyone, and since there are no little kids anymore, we take turns opening our gifts. Esme opens a beautiful necklace from Dad. Bella receives a leather planner for school from Esme. Dad opens a package of golf supplies from me. The large package in front of me contains several designer shirts that Esme knows I like to wear for work.

When just about everything else has been opened, I grab my gift for Bella and hand it to her. She looks at it and then smiles at me, telling me I shouldn't have gotten her anything.

"I wanted to, so just open it," I tell her with a shrug.

Digging into the bag, she pulls out the books and gasps. "Edward, this is wonderful! Thank you so much." It's the most joy I've seen on her face since she arrived, and I'm happy to be the cause of it.

"You're welcome, Bella. I knew you'd like them as soon as I saw them. There's something else in the bag, though."

She reaches in and pushes the tissue paper around for a moment, before withdrawing her hand and looking at the keychain. "Welcome to Forks," she mouths with tears filling her eyes.

I'm by her side on the sofa in a flash. "It wasn't supposed to make you cry," I say quietly.

She laughs lightly and turns to me. "I'm sorry. It's perfect. Now, I really feel like I'm home."

"That was really sweet, Edward," Esme says, approaching Bella's other side and wrapping her arm around her sister. "You know you always have a home here, sweetie."

"Thanks," Bella says through sniffles. "This is all just what I needed … Christmas with my family and starting over. Starting over at _home_."

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks again for all of your reviews. They mean the world to me! If you're not signed in, I can't respond, but please know that I read and cherish each and every one.**

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**Chapter 5**

Late in the afternoon on Christmas Day, Dad approaches me while I'm alone in my room.

"I'm going to take Esme and Bella to the cemetery. Do you want to join us?" he asks.

I take a deep breath before responding. I want to join them for several reasons, but I stick with the simple one. "Yeah, I'd like to visit mom."

He nods and tells me they're leaving soon, so I get myself together quickly and meet them at the front door.

The car ride is short and quiet. Dad parks the car near Esme and Bella's parents' graves and we all get out. As much as I want to be there for Bella right now, I know it's not my place since she has her sister. Without a word, I walk in the opposite direction and easily find my mother.

I haven't been here in a while, but I'm certainly no stranger to this place. When Mom first died, Dad used to bring me here often. He always told me I could tell her anything. Although I was young when she died and I don't remember much about her except what my dad has told me, I still feel an unexplainable connection to her.

I haven't visited as much over the last few years, but I still make a point of coming whenever I feel the need. And though Christmas is as good a reason as any, I know there's more to my visit than that today. I'm glad Dad stayed with his wife and hasn't joined me yet.

"Hi, Mom," I say quietly, dragging my fingers across the letters of her name. Elizabeth Masen Cullen—a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. "I'm sorry it's been so long since I've been here. Last time was my birthday, and today, it's Christmas. But, you already knew that." I chuckle to myself. "Just as I'm sure you already know what's been going on for the last few days."

I think to myself for a minute, contemplating how my mother would feel about this situation I find myself in. One thing I know about her, one thing my father always told me, was that they both only ever wanted my happiness.

"I doubt you'd approve of what's been going on, Mom, but I have to tell you that nothing else has made me this happy. I know the situation is all sorts of messed up. But being there, being able to comfort her, being able to hold her … I don't know if anything could give me greater happiness.

"I wish I'd known you longer. I love Dad, and Esme's great, but I'm pretty sure that having a mother to guide me would have been nice." Squatting down in front of her headstone, my fingers linger over the word "mother."

"I don't know, Mom. I wish you could tell me what to do." I chuckle deeply. "Although, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it. And then I'd probably do whatever I wanted anyway. I just want to be there for her and show her how much she means to me."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see my dad walking over. "I love you, Mom," I whisper, kissing my fingers and placing them over her name. Standing up, I give Dad a hug when he reaches me, and then walk back toward the car to give him a few minutes.

Before I make it to the car, I see Bella standing stoically by herself in front of her parents. Esme must be in the car already. Without thought, I head directly for Bella.

She turns as she hears me approaching. Her eyes are dry but red, as if she's trying desperately to be strong. Her parents were killed by a drunk driver five years ago, just before she started dating Jasper, and I don't think she's ever gotten over it.

Her eyes widen as she sees me, and her bottom lip quivers before she takes it between her teeth. She's trying to be tough but needs to understand that she doesn't have to be.

"You shouldn't—" she says when I get close enough.

"Stop," I tell her gently. Dad and Esme always knew that Bella and I were friendly. I don't see anything wrong with this. I pull her into my arms as soon as I'm able to reach. "There's nothing wrong with needing a shoulder to cry on," I say quietly.

And then the dam breaks. Sobs wrack her tiny body, and I don't think she'd be standing if not for my arms around her.

"Let it out, sweetheart," I say into her hair. "Let it go."

Her sobs continue for a few minutes before she gets herself somewhat under control. Through sniffles, she speaks into my neck. "They'd be so disappointed in me."

"No, baby." I rub her back. "You've done nothing wrong. They'd be proud of you." I pull back a little so I can see her face, showing her how sincere I am. "You're a wonderful teacher, just like your mother. And, you're a strong woman who found herself in a shitty situation through no fault of your own. But, you're taking control and doing what you need to do."

I cup her chin in my hand before I continue. "You're doing the best you can with the hand you've been dealt. I promise you, they'd be proud …" I nod my head in the direction of her parents' headstones. "And we're all proud of you," I say, thumbing back toward the car where Dad and Esme are waiting.

Bella sniffles again as more tears stream down her face. "Thank you," she says quietly.

"Do you need another minute alone?" I ask. "Or, would you like me to stay with you?"

"I think I'd like a minute alone if you don't mind," she says as she reaches for my hand and squeezes it.

I nod and tell her I'll be in the car. As I'm walking away, I could swear I hear her say something that sounds like "see what I mean," but I tune it out and let her have some privacy with her parents.

When I climb into the car, my dad and Esme each give me curious looks, but I just shake my head at them. Bella joins us a few minutes later, taking my hand in hers on the drive home. I rub my thumb across her knuckles and give her a smile in reassurance as her sniffles die down.

At home, Esme engages Bella in cooking for a while. Dad and I take some beers into the living room to watch TV.

After about a half hour of silence, he startles me when he speaks. "That was a nice thing you did for Bella back there."

I hum in acknowledgment. "She's trying to be so strong, but I could see that she just needed to let it out."

"Did she tell you what was going on with her and Jasper?" Dad asks.

I can't tell if he's fishing for information or if he really doesn't know, so I keep it simple. "She just told me she's divorcing him … other than what we all overheard last night."

He nods. "I don't know how long she'll be staying here, but I know Esme's glad to have her back—even if the situation isn't ideal."

"Yeah, I'm glad Bella has her sister to help her through this." I want to add "and me" but bite my tongue to keep from saying too much.

We continue watching TV in silence for a while until Esme joins us. She flops down on the couch next to Dad with a huff—completely unlike her usual self.

"I can't convince her otherwise," she says quietly to Dad.

"You have to let her make her own choices, Es." He pulls her close and kisses her head. One thing that has never been lacking in this house is affection.

"I just hate the thought of her being alone," Esme responds. A few minutes later, she addresses me as an afterthought. "Edward, you could probably help her out."

"Hmm?" I question, drawing my eyes away from the TV as if I hadn't been hanging on their every word about Bella.

She speaks in a soft tone, clearly trying to avoid having Bella overhear the conversation. "Bella insists that she needs to find her own place to live as soon as possible." My heart drops at her words, but I keep listening. "I know you were going to look for an apartment after the holidays, and you have good connections in the real estate business around here. Maybe you can help her find something."

"Of course," I tell her. "I'll help any way I can." Bella already knows this, and I wonder if she was planning to ask for my assistance.

"Thanks. I better go check on dinner. We should be ready to eat in about a half hour."

"We'll set the table, honey," Dad offers.

Dinner is delicious and pretty laid back with small talk and laughter, until Esme decides to address the elephant in the room.

"Bells, you know I would really prefer it if you stayed here, at least for a little while …"

"Es, please don't start again. I just really need to start my life over," Bella says with a huff.

"I'm not starting anything, I promise. I was actually just going to tell you that if you insist on finding your own apartment, Edward can probably help."

"Oh," she says, with a look of surprise on her face. She turns to face me with wide eyes before a smile breaks across her face. It's one of the few genuine smiles I've seen her with since she got here.

"Yeah," I chime in, finishing the bite of food in my mouth. "I was planning to look for my own place after the holidays, and I have some contacts that can help us … I mean, help me, and help you," I add nervously. I didn't mean for it to come out that way, and I hope no one noticed my blunder.

"That would be great," she says, smiling wider now. "If you have someone who can help us." I don't miss the teasing she added to the word "us." My mind instantly starts plotting ways to pay her back for that teasing later, but I shake it off because playful Bella is definitely a step in the right direction.

We finish dinner and clean up after we've all agreed to take a break before dessert. I head back toward the living room when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I look back to see Bella tilting her head in the direction of the stairs. Waiting a few minutes, I follow her up and find her sitting on her bed with one of the Shakespeare books open in her lap.

I close the door quietly behind me and she gives me a small smile. Not the genuine one from earlier.

"What's up?" I ask gently.

She pats a spot on the bed next to her, so I cross the room and sit. "I wanted to ask you a favor."

"What do you need?" I take her hand in mine and link our fingers together.

"Esme found me a lawyer already, and I have an appointment with him tomorrow." Her honey eyes are pleading with me. "Can you come with me? I mean, you don't have to come into the appointment, but can you just be there with me?" she asks all in a rush.

"Absolutely," I tell her. "I'll be there for you."

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**Thanks for reading, favoriting, alerting, and reviewing!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm so glad you're sticking with me on this. Thanks for all of the reviews, alerts and favorites. I love all the reviews, and those of you who have reviewed every chapter have a special place in my heart.**

**A few of you have been concerned about when they will tell Carlisle and Esme. I wanted to point out that it's only been a few days since Bella arrived. Things are happening quickly, but remember that B&E have not yet discussed exactly what is going on between them. Give B some time … she arrived in town on Friday night, and this chapter takes place on Tuesday.**

**I'm not a lawyer, and by no means an expert on divorce law in Washington. I did some research, but it's fanfic, so you'll have to excuse anything that's not 100% correct.**

**FFN took out all of my formatting when I uploaded this chapter. Hopefully I put everything back. Grr!**

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**Chapter 6**

Bella didn't stay with me last night, and I didn't ask her why. I know she has a lot to work through so I'm trying to leave her to it. But, seeing her late last night with Shakespeare and a smile certainly put a grin on my face.

As much as I want to have a lazy morning today and sleep in on my vacation, I don't get the chance. Bella's appointment is at ten o'clock and the lawyer's office is almost an hour away in Port Angeles.

Dad and Esme have both left for work by the time I enter the kitchen so I don't hesitate to walk right up to Bella and wrap my arms around her waist from behind, nuzzling my nose into the hair on her neck. I feel her hum more than hear it before she turns in my arms and embraces me. No words are exchanged as she hugs me tight. I inhale her scent and let it calm me, hoping she can find some comfort in our connection.

In the car, Bella holds my hand tightly over the center console throughout most of the drive. She's quiet and biting her lip, so I take a chance and break the silence.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask gently.

She sighs before answering me. "There's not really much to talk about. I just need to know what the procedures are and how quickly everything can be done."

"Bella," I interrupt. "I meant how you're feeling about this. Regardless of what happened between you and …" I struggle to keep the anger out of my tone as I say his name. "Jasper, I know this isn't easy for you."

When I glance over at her, I can tell she's trying to hold back the tears again.

"You're right. It's not easy." A tear escapes and she's quick to wipe it away. "I feel like such a failure. I never pictured myself getting divorced, but here I am. I feel like, somehow, I should have known better … that I should have known he wasn't the right one for me."

I bite my tongue to keep from interrupting her.

"I just … I don't know. I want it to be over so I can start again. I wish I could just snap my fingers and make it go away. I want to find an apartment and a job and just get back to living my life. I know this all just happened, but to me, it feels like it's been dragging on for a while. Once I made my decision, I just wanted it to all be done, you know?"

"I understand," I say, rubbing my fingers over her knuckles. "As far as being a failure, you know no one else sees you like that, right?" She nods unconvincingly. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again. You're a strong person, and you'll get through this and be even stronger."

"I know," she sighs.

"One step at a time," I offer. "How about we start by meeting with that lawyer?" I use my head to indicate the building in front of us, letting her know we've arrived.

After taking a deep breath, she squeezes my hand. "Yeah, let's go. I'm ready."

Just as we get out of the car, I hear another car door slam not too far away. Turning to my right, I see Jasper approaching at a rapid pace. He glances at the building in front of us before looking back to Bella. Before she can even blink, I'm over at her side and ushering her toward the building.

"Bella, wait!" he yells.

I feel her cringe at my side, but she turns around anyway.

"What do you want, Jasper?" she asks with a huff.

"Can we just … go somewhere and talk, please?" He seems almost remorseful, and my anger builds quickly. I can't understand why he feels he's owed anything.

"There's nothing to talk about. I've made my decision, and I don't want to be married to you anymore."

I can see the anger seeping into his expression.

"There is someone else, isn't there?" he says gruffly.

"There _was_ no one else for _me_, Jasper." I don't miss her emphasis on the word "was" but I wonder if Jasper did. "You've made it clear that I'm not what you want, and frankly, I deserve more than how you treated me even before you started fucking your secretary!" She's yelling by the time she's finished.

"Come on, let's go in," I say quietly, putting my hand on her back and guiding her toward the door.

"You're not even going to listen to what—" His words are cut off by the closing of the heavy front door.

I can feel Bella trembling beneath my hand, so I look around the lobby and pull her over into a corner away from any windows. Drawing her into my arms, I tell her, "You were great out there. Can you take some deep breaths for me?"

She does just as I've asked with her face buried in my jacket. I hold her tight, rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head.

After taking a minute to compose herself, she announces she's ready and takes my hand as she leads me over to the receptionist.

I flip through several law magazines that I have no interest in while I wait for Bella. I'm not really seeing what's in front of me anyway, since my mind is occupied with thoughts of Jasper waiting outside to ambush Bella again.

She comes out of the office with a smile on her face after only a half hour, although it felt like forever to me. I look at her questioningly, but she shakes her head and says, "Let's go. I want to get out of here."

As soon as we step outside, I look around for Jasper or signs of his rental car. I'm relieved when I don't see either. Bella looks relieved, too, so we get in the car and head home with me constantly checking the rearview mirror to make sure he's not following us.

Once we're on the highway, Bella starts talking.

"This just might be easier than I expected," she says in a rush.

"How so?"

"According to Mr. Jenks, since I'm not asking for anything and we don't have any children or joint property, there's nothing that Jasper can contest. Washington is a no-fault state, which means if one person says the marriage is irretrievably broken, the divorce decree will be granted. I may be oversimplifying, but it sounded like once the papers are served, an uncontested divorce should go through in ninety days."

"Wow."

"Yeah. The only catch is that I have to establish residency here. I could claim I'm living with my sister, but that's harder to prove and Jasper could fight it. The lawyer agreed that getting my name on a lease was the best option."

It doesn't take me long to decide how I can help. "Can you grab my Bluetooth out of the glove compartment?"

Bella's brow furrows but she does as I ask.

I turn it on and place it in my ear, pushing the button and stating, "Call Tanya Denali cell."

Tanya answers after only one ring. _"Edward! To what do I owe this pleasure?"_

"Hi, Tanya. I hope you had a good holiday." As much as she creeps me out with all of her flirting, I figure she's more likely to help me if I'm nice to her.

_"Not too bad … and you?"_

"It was fine. Listen, I was hoping you could help me out with something."

_"I'll do my best. What do you need?"_

"I'm looking for an apartment in town, but the favor is really for a friend who also needs to find a place. She needs something as soon as possible." I look to Bella for confirmation, and she nods. "Would you have some time this afternoon to show us some places?"

_"You're in luck. My afternoon is completely open thanks to the holiday. Why don't you come to the office after lunch and we'll discuss what you and your friend are looking for and then go from there?"_

"That's great, Tanya. I owe you one. We'll see you around one thirty."

_"See you then, Edward."_

I end the call and tell Bella the good news, watching relief spread across her face and her shoulders relax.

Bella and I get home in time for some lunch, which we eat together. After cleaning up, we still have some time so I pull her into the living room and down onto the couch. She falls easily into my arms with her head on my shoulder, and I rub my hands up and down her body.

"Thank you for going with me today," she says in a small voice. "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there."

"No thanks are needed," I tell her, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "I told you, I'll be there for you however you need me."

"I know. I just … I don't think you know how much this all means to me. I wish there was some way I could make you understand."

"Bella," I say, putting my hand on the side of her face. "I'm just glad you're _letting_ me help you. Trust me, there's nothing more that I want than to put a smile back on your face." My thumb traces across her cheek before dipping down to glide over her bottom lip.

She purses her lips and kisses my finger before her beautiful brown eyes lock onto my blue ones. Moving slowly, she leans in and kisses me softly, her lips lingering over mine long after the kiss is complete.

"We should go."

"Yeah," she agrees.

It takes a few minutes before either of us actually moves, but we eventually make our way back into the car and to Tanya's office.

Tanya greets me with a kiss on my cheek and I cringe. She's made no secret of the fact that she wants to go out with me, but I've always turned her down politely. She's tall with strawberry blond hair and a killer body—what most men would call beautiful. But, as our paths have crossed quite a few times in the six months I've been working at my job, I've found her personality to detract greatly from her beauty.

She is clearly shallow and would never be caught dead without perfect makeup and perfect hair. When we first met, she told me we would make a beautiful couple and couldn't understand why I didn't want to go out with her. I also know her reputation, and although I'm no saint, my morals have certainly changed since my early college days.

I introduce Bella and notice Tanya openly appraising her as if she's competition. I wish I could just tell Tanya that there was never any competition. She would never measure up to my Bella.

Bella takes my hand as we make our way into a conference room, and I'm thrilled that she's subtly staking her claim—not that she needs to. I squeeze her hand and give her a smile anyway.

Sitting with Tanya, we start by going over what Bella's looking for in an apartment as well as what she can afford. Bella explains that she has some savings which will hold her over for a while, but doesn't yet have a job.

"Hmm," Tanya states with a discouraging look. "That could be a problem. Any owner of a decent complex is going to want to run a credit check and ensure you have adequate means to cover the monthly rent. You might need to wait until you find a job."

Bella's face falls as she slumps back in her seat. "I'll be looking for a job as soon as the schools open again, but even though I still have my Washington accreditation, it's not a quick process. I really can't afford to wait. What kind of places won't require a steady income?"

"Not the kind of places suitable for a single woman," Tanya says frankly. I know she's only being honest and doing her job, I can't help feeling that she's getting some sort of sick satisfaction out of this.

My mind starts going over options as I watch Bella bite her lip. I can't come up with any way to get Bella the income stream she needs, but I might have something else that will work.

"Tanya, can you give us a minute?" I ask.

"Sure. Just come find me when you've made a decision." She walks out with her designer heels clicking on the wood floor, closing the door behind her.

Turning to Bella, I take her hand and rub it between mine. "I have an option that might work …" I say hesitantly.

"What is it? I'll do anything to just get this all moving along," she says with a hopeful look on her face.

"We move in together."

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**A/N: Sorry for the cliffie! Leave me a review and let me know your thoughts. What do you think Bella should do?**

**And, yes … this Edward has blue eyes. We're already OOC, so I thought I'd make him more Rob-like.**

**Come find me on Facebook … Kitchmill Fanfic**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Once again, you guys blow me away with your reviews. I try to answer questions as best I can without giving away too much. Don't forget, if you're not signed in, I can't respond.**

**Once again, FFN is screwing with my formatting once I upload. Hopefully I caught everything!**

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**Chapter 7**

_"We move in together."_

Bella looks at me with wide eyes, so I hurry to continue my explanation.

"I know it sounds crazy, but a two bedroom apartment is going to cost less than two separate one bedroom places. I've been at my job for six months and I have a steady income, so I can probably cover the credit check with no problem. But, your name will still be on the lease and at the end of the day, that's what you really need."

Her mouth drops open as she continues to stare at me. I want to say more, but bite my tongue and let it sink in.

"You'd …" she starts, then stops and shakes her head. "You'd do that for me?"

"Yes," I say simply. When her eyes don't move from mine for another minute, I go on. "Why don't we just see what Tanya can find and then go from there? If you're uncomfortable with the idea, we don't have to do it."

I feel like I've lost her when she still doesn't say anything. She closes her eyes for a moment and then opens them and takes my hand. "Okay," she finally whispers.

A smile breaks out across my face. I squeeze her hand and stand. "Let me go find Tanya and let her know that we're changing the direction of what we want to look at."

She nods and doesn't move, her eyes gazing blankly at something over my shoulder, so I hurry out of the room and into Tanya's office.

"Hey," I say as I knock on the frame of the open door. Tanya looks up at me with a slightly sinister smile. "We're ready, but we need to change the criteria of what we're looking for."

"You're going to send your _friend_," she sneers, "to the dregs of town?"

"Uh, no. We'd like to look at some two bedroom places."

Her eyes widen and she looks me over from head to toe, sending a shiver down my spine. "You're going to _move in_ with her?"

"Not that it's any business of yours, Tanya," I say, adding some venom to her name. "But she's a close family friend and I'm helping her out. Now, are you going to work with us or not?"

"Sure, whatever you want," she says with sarcasm in her tone and a roll of her eyes. She gets up from behind her desk and we head back to the conference room.

Bella still hasn't moved so I put my hand on her thigh and rub it under the table. She turns to me and smiles, mouthing "thank you" before looking back to Tanya.

A few minutes later, Tanya pulls up a list of two bedroom apartments that fit the new criteria we've laid out. Bella and I look them over and decide on a few we'd like to see so we all grab our coats and head out.

Bella and I follow Tanya in my car. She's familiar with the neighborhoods and knows the town so we discuss the pros and cons of each location. She knows it doesn't matter much to me, other than being in a decent neighborhood. Everything in town is within a twenty minute drive anyway. Bella's the one who still has to worry about finding a job.

We stop at the first place and decide pretty quickly that it's not what we want. The only available location is on the ground floor, but it's halfway underground so it seems like a basement. We take a tour of the layout anyway, just in case a similar model opens up somewhere else in the complex.

The second apartment is much better. It's on the second floor and has a private entrance and balcony. The master bedroom is large and there is a master bathroom—something the first place didn't have. The second bedroom is smaller but decent, with the other bathroom just outside. We both like the spacious living room, but the kitchen leaves something to be desired. I think that's something we'll have to deal with though. There's no way we'll get a luxury kitchen in an apartment.

Tanya calls the landlord when we tell her we like it. He lets her know that the place is available immediately, pending credit check, so she tells him we'll have an answer for him by the end of the day.

We check out the third place on the list and find it to be decent and acceptable, but Bella points out the parking situation. The lot in front of the building is small and relatively packed. Although there is another lot at the back of the building, there's no entrance there. I don't like the idea of Bella having to walk around the building at night by herself.

Bella and I sit in the car to try and make a choice.

She looks at me skeptically for a moment. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Bella," I sigh. "You're the one who has to be sure. I offered. I'm fine with it. Frankly, I can live anywhere. If you're worried about what people will think, don't be. This is just one friend helping out another friend. I told you, we don't have to deal with anything else until you're ready, and I promise you no matter what happens, I'm always going to be your friend."

"Are you worried about what Carlisle and Esme will say?"

"Are you?" I counter with a quirked eyebrow.

She laughs, but it's forced. "I'm only worried Esme will be mad that she's not the one who gets to help me. Like you said, everything else can be explained."

"She'll get over it. She only wants what's best for you. Once you explain that you need your name on a lease to file the divorce petition, I'm sure she'll be supportive."

She lets out a sigh and nods. "You're right. Okay," she starts with more confidence. "So, we liked the second place best, right?"

"I think that's the best option," I agree.

"Alright, you'll take the master bedroom and—"

I cut her off with a laugh, shaking my head. "I don't need the master bedroom. Look, we'll deal with the details later, okay? Let's just talk to Tanya and make this happen."

With a sharp nod of her head, she takes my hand and says, "Okay. Let's do this."

It doesn't take long for us to get to the landlord's office, fill out the application and credit check, and return home. The landlord promised that he'd have the results of the credit check the next day, so Bella and I are on pins and needles when we get back to the house.

Bella starts on dinner, either hoping to help Esme out or to keep herself busy. From the living room, I hear something drop and then Bella's muttered curse. I run into the kitchen and find her staring at a mixing bowl on the floor with her hands shaking in front of her.

"Hey," I say, pulling her into my arms. "It's going to be okay." I rub her back while she relaxes into me.

"I know. I think this whole day has just been a bit much."

"Why don't you go relax for a little while? You know you don't need to do this," I say, gesturing to the food on the counter.

She sighs and pulls out of my embrace. "Cooking is usually a good stress reliever for me. I just need to get my mind back into it."

"If you're sure …" I keep her hands in mine while my eyes search her face.

"I'm sure," she says, just as we hear a throat clear from the doorway.

Bella and I turn to find Esme standing there, looking from our joined hands to the bowl on the floor. "Hey, Es," Bella says, dropping my hands and bending to pick up the bowl. "I tried to get dinner started, but I'm afraid I'm not doing a very good job."

With furrowed brows, Esme asks if everything is okay and I start to walk away to let the sisters talk. Bella surprises me when she asks me to stay.

Addressing Esme, she says, "Everything's fine, but it's been an interesting day." She launches into the story of Jasper showing up at the lawyer's office, everything the lawyer said, and meeting Tanya to look at apartments.

We've all taken seats at the table by the time Bella takes a deep breath and says, "Edward is going to help me out and we're going to get an apartment together."

Esme looks at me, confusion clearly written on her face. "What do you mean, 'you're going to get an apartment together?' I thought you were both looking for your own place."

"It started out that way," I chime in. "Until Tanya told us that no decent landlord would accept a renter without a steady income, regardless of how much money she has. So, it was either rent from a lowlife landlord in a less-than-desirable part of town, or look at two bedroom places where I could cover the credit check."

"Well, this is …" Esme pauses. "Awkward."

I roll my eyes and continue. "The place is actually really nice and has plenty of space, so we won't be stepping on each others' toes. I know Bella's good for the rent," I chuckle. "And, I've lived with my share of sloppy roommates. Bella will definitely be a step up." I turn to Bella and smile.

"Honestly," Bella starts. "This is my only option aside from having to go back to Phoenix and find a lawyer there. I have no idea how long it would take to get everything settled, and that would keep me from moving on with my life." Her eyes plead with Esme to understand. "I just want to move on. Edward was nice enough to help me solve a problem, and actually, sharing the rent and utilities will save us both some money. Besides, weren't you the one who didn't want me to be alone?"

_Touché, Bella. Nicely done._

Esme contemplates for a minute before shaking her head and closing her eyes. "You're both adults, so it's not like I can tell either one of you what to do, but I hope you know what you're getting yourselves into."

Bella looks at me and gives a slight nod. "Yeah, I think we do."

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**A/N: Does she really know what she's getting into? How about Edward? Don't worry, their talk is coming up soon … just a few other things to take care of first.**

**Come find me on Facebook … Kitchmill Fanfic**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

My dad turns out to be quicker than I expect to accept our potential living situation when we discuss it over dinner.

"You're both welcome to live here as long as you want," he tells us. "But I understand the situation and I'm glad Edward's able to help you out, Bella. Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help."

Bella thanks him and smiles at me across the table.

Later that night, I begin to take stock in what we'll need for the apartment, assuming we're approved for it. I start making a list of everything from bedroom furniture to bath towels.

I'm interrupted by a knock on the open door frame and look up to find Bella standing in my doorway.

"Hey, come on in."

"Thanks," she says, smiling at me and taking a seat at my desk. Glancing quickly at my list, she says, "It looks like we're thinking along the same lines tonight. I was just considering what I'll be able to take from the condo."

Dread settles in my chest as I think about her words. "Will you have to go back there?" I ask, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.

"I don't think so," she answers, screwing up her face a bit. "I'm going to call my friend Angela tomorrow and see if she can help me out. I think if I'm really detailed, she can pack my things for me and have them shipped up here."

"Will Jasper be pissed?"

"Maybe, but I don't really care. I was thinking that as long as I'm fair about what I take, I can just send him a list of what I want and we'll go from there. We both put money into the belongings, so we should split everything as close to equally as we can."

I reach across the space separating us and put my hand on her knee. "You're sure about doing this?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," she says without hesitation. "The more I think about it, the more I feel good about this option."

"Okay." I nod decisively at her. "Well, there won't be any rush to physically move, so we can still stay here until we figure out what we need and wait for your stuff to be shipped. But, hopefully, you'll have a permanent address tomorrow that you can give to the lawyer."

She closes her eyes and smiles. When she opens them, she looks right at me. "I really hope this works."

With a squeeze of my hand, she untangles our fingers and stands. "I'm gonna go read for a bit," she says, thumbing over her shoulder toward the hallway. "Shakespeare's waiting."

I return her smile and nod. "Goodnight, Bella." I walk over to her and hug her close, inhaling her floral scent before letting her go.

"Goodnight." She hugs me back tightly for a moment, then slips out of my embrace and crosses the hall to her room.

The ringing of my cell phone wakes me in the morning. I glance at the clock and see that it's nine thirty already. I must have been more wiped out from yesterday's events than I realized.

Reaching over to the nightstand, I pick up the phone and look at the display. I don't recognize the phone number but answer it anyway.

"Hello?" I clear my throat to get the morning grogginess out of my voice.

"_Hi, Edward?_" the voice asks.

"Yes?"

"_This is Garrett Sullivan from Heritage Apartments. How are you this morning?_" My heart skips a beat, knowing this call will either fix Bella's problems or throw us back to square one.

"I'm good, Garrett. How are you?"

"_Good, good,_" he says. "_I know you and Bella were anxious to sign a lease quickly, so I wanted to let you know right away that your credit check came back already. Everything looks good, and the apartment can be yours as soon as you're ready."_

I let out an audible gust of air as he continues. "_If you need some time before starting the lease, I'll just need you to leave a deposit so I can hold it for you."_

"I don't think that will be necessary, Garrett. I'll just check with Bella and most likely we'll come by today to sign the lease and pick up the keys." I jump out of bed and pace across my room momentarily before deciding to go look for Bella.

"_Okay, I'll be here all day, so come in any time. If I'm not around, I usually leave a sign on the door to say when I expect to be back since my assistant's on vacation this week. I look forward to seeing you both."_

Reaching the living room, I find Bella curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee in front of her and Shakespeare in her hand. She looks up as I enter the room.

"We'll be looking forward to it, too. Thanks, Garrett."

As soon as I end the call, I look at Bella and see she's wide-eyed, waiting for me to tell her what's going on. "That was Garret," I say, gesturing unnecessarily to my phone.

"And?" she prods.

"And, the apartment's ours as soon as we want it."

She lets out a shriek before the words finish tumbling out of my mouth and jumps up, tossing her book on the floor. Crossing the room in two steps, I meet her halfway as she leaps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist.

"Oh my god, this is so great!" she exclaims. "Thank you, so much, Edward. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She peppers my cheeks with kisses while I hold her, laughing.

I set us both down on the couch, but she continues to hold on tight to my neck, burying her face in my shoulder. I feel her hot breath cover me like a blanket as she sighs, and my arms tighten around her.

Realizing we won't get anything taken care of if we stay tangled up like this, I give her a little nudge. "Garrett said we could come over any time today to sign the lease and pick up the keys. What do you say we go get dressed, head to his office, and then I'll take you out for a celebratory lunch?"

Sitting back on my lap a bit but keeping her arms on my shoulders, Bella says, "I have a better idea. How about I pack up some sandwiches, we go to Garrett's office, and then we have a picnic in our new apartment?"

"That sounds great." I can't contain my smile as I tap her on the ass and we both get moving.

It takes about forty five minutes for us to get ourselves together. Bella has a few blankets and pillows in her arms as she comes down the stairs. She shrugs when I look at her quizzically.

"I thought we'd need something to sit on for our picnic."

"Ah, good idea," I comment. "Do you need me to grab anything?"

"Uh, yeah. If you don't mind, there's a small cooler in the kitchen that has our sandwiches in it. Can you grab that?"

"Sure. I'll be right out." I open the front door and point my key fob at the car to unlock it for Bella then make my way into the kitchen.

I see the cooler on the counter and decide to peek at what Bella packed for us. There are sandwiches wrapped in foil with napkins and forks on top. Moving the sandwiches to the side, I see two bottles of water underneath and a container that looks like cut fruit.

Making a decision on impulse, I quickly repack everything into a larger cooler and add a few extras to the mix.

When I walk outside and put the cooler in the back seat, Bella leans over with a confused look. As soon as I sit down, she says, "That's not the right bag."

"I know," I tell her nonchalantly. "I added a few things."

She lets it go and we head over to our new apartment complex.

It takes about a half hour to go over the terms of the lease and sign everything, and we then head over to the apartment with Garrett for a walk-through to make sure everything is in order. He points out our two labeled parking spaces, which thankfully are relatively close to our entrance. Once we confirm that there are no obvious problems with the space, Garrett hands us each a set of keys and officially welcomes us to the complex.

As soon as we hear the door at the bottom of the stairs close, Bella lets out a sigh of relief. I turn toward her and smirk.

"Welcome home, Bella."

She rushes at me and throws her arms around my neck. "This is so great," she squeals into my neck. "I'm so excited!" Stepping back, she says, "I better call Mr. Jenks so he can get started on the paperwork."

"I'll go move the car into one of our spots and bring our lunch in while you call him."

It only takes a few minutes to get back to the office and move the car. I throw the strap of the cooler over my shoulder and juggle all of the blankets and pillows in my arms as I make my way back to the door of apartment 1635. I struggle with the door knob momentarily but eventually make my way inside.

Bella's still on the phone with her lawyer and must have wandered into the kitchen, so I lay out the blankets and toss the pillows on the floor. Opening the cooler, I pull out the sandwiches, fruit, napkins and forks but leave the water bottles inside. Instead, I take out two clear plastic cups and a bottle of champagne.

She ends the call and walks back into the living room, speaking as she goes. "He's got almost everything drawn up and said it should be done by … Edward!" she admonishes as she takes in the bottle of champagne.

"This is a celebration, right?" I ask, opening the cage on the bottle top.

I'm rewarded with one of the smiles that lights up her face. "Yeah, it is." She plops down next to me on the blanket as I rip the foil off of the cork.

"Ready?" I push my thumbs against the cork and wiggle. Bella grabs the cups and holds them up. The pop of the cork echoes off of the empty apartment walls and she laughs as some champagne spills from the bottle, but she's quick to get a cup underneath it.

I fill both cups and place the bottle on the edge of the blanket when Bella hands me one.

Holding my cup up, I offer a toast. "To our new home, and the start of something wonderful."

"Cheers," she says with a grin, tapping her cup against mine.

We both sip from our cups, but our eyes remain locked on one another. I take a deep breath as I look at her over my cup and make a decision. This time, I'm not waiting for her. Gently setting my cup down, I slowly lean in, with every intention of kissing her.

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**A/N: Once again, your reviews blow me away and keep me writing! We broke 100 reviews with chapter 7! Thanks for all the love.**

**I'm hoping to start posting teasers on Mondays on The Fictionators in addition to my Facebook page.**

**Come find me on Facebook … Kitchmill Fanfic**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Welcome to all the new readers! I hope you enjoy my little story. Please leave a review to let me know what you think.**

**This chapter is dedicated to LayAtHomeMom and her awesome story, In Your Room.**

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**Chapter 9**

_Gently setting my cup down, I slowly lean in, with every intention of kissing her._

Her eyes close as I get close. I put my hand on her neck and pull her to my lips. She kisses me back, hesitantly at first, but it only takes a moment for the kiss to turn desperate. Our mouths part and tongues meet in the middle, completely in synch as if we've done this dance thousands of times before.

I moan when I feel her tongue become more forceful against mine and she shivers in my hold. I take the champagne from her hand and move the cup away. My body meets hers while I start to lay her down, grabbing a pillow from the side and moving it under her head. I hover above her, not wanting to crush her tiny body with mine, but her arms wrap around my shoulders and she pushes until we connect.

This time, I hum as I feel the contact of her body lined up with mine. Our mouths keep each other busy while my hand explores, finding a breast which I massage, eliciting a moan from Bella accompanied by the arch of her back.

Wanting more, I slide my hand down and under her shirt so I can feel her velvety skin against my fingers. My kisses move to her neck and I breathe in her scent, solidifying the uncomfortable situation in my jeans. My hand roams upward until I grasp her breast again, pulling it from the cup of her bra. I lean my head down to capture her blush nipple my mouth.

Bella quickly sits up, pushing me back on my haunches, as she whips her shirt off over her head. I lean around her and snap the clasp of her bra open. With a little shake of her shoulders, it slides down her arms until she takes it off and tosses it somewhere.

I try to move my mouth back to her tits but she stops me by pulling the hem of my shirt out of my pants and taking it off for me. Her arms wrap around my waist, drawing our bodies together and she kisses and licks along my collar bone.

"I love feeling your skin against mine," she tells me roughly in between kisses. "You're always so warm … so perfect."

"It feels like you were made to fit here," I say quietly, tightening my arms around her. My hand glides up her back and sweeps the hair off her neck so I have better access to kiss the delicious skin there. She obligingly angles her head while continuing to kiss my shoulder.

Her kisses begin to move down, covering my upper peck with her hot breath and tongue. When she reaches my nipple and swirls her tongue around it, a groan slips out of my throat.

I lay her back and work my way down her body, stopping to worship her breasts and lap at her belly button before my hands move to the button of her jeans. I glance up at her and she nods her head with a quiet "please" slipping through her lips.

My hands fumble momentarily but recover enough to open her jeans and slide them down her legs along with her underwear. I pull the little ballet-like shoes off her feet. She returns the favor as soon as her clothing has been discarded, pushing my jeans and boxers down, and I bend down to untie my boots and kick everything off.

With her hands on my hips, she licks her lips before kissing her way across my chest and descending downward. My cock twitches in anticipation as her mouth nears it and her silky hair glides over it.

"Lay down," she orders, bringing a pillow behind me. I happily do as I'm told, watching her intently as her mouth drags from one hip to the other. My breathing falters as I feel her hot breath fan over my erection. She hasn't even touched me yet but I can feel the pre-cum leaking from my arousal.

Ever so slowly, her mouth lowers to the head and she places a reverent, open-mouth kiss over top. I twitch again as her wet lips linger.

Without warning, her mouth fully encompasses me and I feel her tongue and lips gliding up and down the length as her head bobs. "Fuck," I mutter, trying to keep my hips from bucking. One of my hands clenches the blanket underneath me tightly while the fingers of the other tangle in her hair.

She hums around me when my grip on her hair tightens, causing my hips to thrust involuntarily. The sensation rockets through my body with force, and I know I'll have to stop this soon if I want to be buried inside of her.

I lift my head to see Bella hollow out her cheeks as she increases the suction, drawing me toward that orgasmic edge quickly. I groan loudly at the vision I have fantasized about for years. "God, that feels good, Angel."

Her eyes meet mine and I stop her before I hit the point of no return by gently placing my hands on her jaw. I sit up and our lips meet again so I suck her bottom lip into my mouth, giving a little bite before letting it go.

She straddles my lap, her body hovering over mine. While we continue to kiss, I slip my hand between us, feeling the slick wetness covering the area between her legs. She whimpers when my fingers graze over her clit, but I don't give her any pressure. Instead, I slide them further and push two inside. Her whimper turns into a moan as I begin thrusting them in and out, finally letting my thumb rest on her clit.

She begins bucking against my hand, her movements causing friction right where she wants it. "That's it, baby," I say roughly in between kisses. "Ride my hand."

"Fuck!" she screams, turning her head and dropping it to my shoulder. Her breath is coming in short pants, and I know it won't be long before she orgasms.

My fingers begin tapping on her g-spot while my thumb starts rubbing furiously over her clit. Her walls tighten around me as she bites my shoulder and lets out a muffled scream. She holds her body still and lets the orgasm take over.

A moment later, I remove my fingers and lay her back, placing her extended legs on my shoulders. I enter her quickly with one hand on her hip and the other going straight back to her clit. She's impossibly tight, still quivering from her orgasm, and I don't give her any time to recover as I begin thrusting my hips and rubbing the already sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Ah!" she cries out. "I'm still … I … holy _shit_!" Her walls tighten further, and it feels like instead of dying down, her orgasm has picked up intensity.

I was so close to losing it when her mouth was on me, so this vice grip on my dick means I won't last very long. My finger continues circling while my cock hits deep inside her in this position. The sound of our bodies slapping together fills the apartment. My vision starts to go as my balls tighten and I'm pretty sure I grunt out a few choice curses. My spine tingles and muscles clench. After a few more thrusts, I explode with white spots dancing in front of my eyes.

I still my hips and take a moment to come back to my senses when I feel Bella drop her legs. She pulls on my arms so I fall forward onto her.

"You okay?" I ask making sure I'm not crushing her.

"Hmm," she breathes out with a still heaving chest. "More than okay."

Her fingers run through my hair and scratch lightly at my scalp, and I give a little hum of my own. "Welcome home," I offer, dropping down to kiss her thoroughly.

Her eyes shine up at me when we pull apart. "Welcome home," she replies, with a beaming smile on her face.

After lying tangled together for a while in the quiet apartment, my stomach growls loudly. Bella's body shakes against mine with her silent laughter.

"Time to feed the beast?" she asks.

I chuckle and kiss her head. "Yeah, guess I never got around to eating breakfast this morning."

"I'm gonna go clean up," she states, grabbing her underwear and shirt before heading in the direction of the bathroom.

I put my underwear and pants back on and straighten out the blanket, which is now a rumpled mess from our activity. Bella emerges from the bathroom just as I start unwrapping the sandwiches.

"Well, it's a good thing the previous renters left some toilet paper. I didn't even think about that before I went in there." She's laughing and shaking her head as she sits next to me and takes the sandwich I hand her. "Of course, they had it on the holder upside down. I had to fix it. I mean, who the hell wants to pull toilet paper from the bottom?"

I'm full-on laughing at her comment, never having thought Bella would have such strong opinions about toilet paper rolls. She looks up at me with wide eyes and gasps. "Don't tell me you pull from the bottom! That could be a deal-breaker for this living arrangement!"

Now I'm near hysterics, seeing the dead serious look on Bella's face as she worries that I'm a bottom-puller. I'm hunched over, trying to catch my breath when she slaps my shoulder. "Are you laughing at me?"

I look up at her and try to control the laughter, but it's a losing battle. Seeing the expression on my face causes Bella's lips to twitch, then set in a line, then twitch again before she breaks out into loud guffaws.

We're both laughing uncontrollably and my heart thumps harder seeing Bella let loose and having fun. I love seeing her like this and hope it happens more often now that she has a plan in place to move on with her life.

When the laughter finally dies down, I tell her, with as straight a face as I can muster, "Don't worry, I promise to always put the roll on so it pulls from the top. Scout's honor." I hold up my fingers to prove my point.

She shakes her head at me and smiles. We both get to work on our sandwiches. Bella opens the bowl of fruit and sets it in between us, handing me a fork and taking one for herself.

We enjoy our champagne lunch in silence for a while before I jokingly ask, "So, is there anything else we need to talk about before we move in together?"

The weight of my words settles in my chest and my lunch feels like a lead weight in my stomach as I see the playful expression disappear from Bella's face. Replacing it is a serious, almost remorseful look.

"Yeah, we probably should have that talk now, huh?"

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**A/N: Are we ready for that talk now?**

**If you haven't read LayAtHomeMom's In Your Room, you should do that now while you wait for the next chapter of A Family Affair. She shares my view on toilet paper placement, dirty talking Edward, and crazy humor. IYR is complete, so go check it out and leave her some love.**

**I'm going to try to keep posting Monday teasers on Fictionators, with a link on my Facebook page.**

**Come find me on Facebook … Kitchmill Fanfic**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Time to clear the air and figure out what they're doing! Oh, and why don't we meet Emmett while we're at it?**

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**Chapter 10**

_"Yeah, we probably should have that talk now, huh?"_

"You know that's not what I meant, right?" I ask calmly, wanting her to know there's no pressure to do this now.

"I know. But, there are some things I want to say."

My teeth dig into my lip as I search her face, trying to decipher what she's planning to say. I put the remains of my sandwich down on the foil and take a deep breath, steeling myself against the possible rejection. "Okay, go ahead."

She lets out a noisy breath and looks down at her fingers, which are now picking apart the bread in her hand. "This … thing between us," she starts, still not meeting my eyes. "I don't know how to define it, or if I _want_ to define it.

"I want you to know that in my mind, my marriage to Jasper has been over for months. Even before I decided that I wanted a divorce, we were basically living two separate lives. Like I said before, I barely saw him, and when we were together, we still weren't really _together_."

She looks up and finally shows me the emotion on her face. Her eyes lock on mine before she starts again. "Being with you has felt more comfortable than anything has ever felt before. The night I got here … when you kissed me … I think I was less stunned that you kissed me, and more stunned that it felt so _right_."

I want to grab her hand and tell her how right it feels for me, but this is her show. I bite back my emotions and let her continue.

"I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship, or what that even means." She chuckles a bit at herself. "And, I guess part of me feels like it should be too soon anyway, but another part of me feels like I've waited forever to be as happy as you make me." Her eyes are pleading with me, but I'm not sure what for. "I think what I'm really trying to say is that I have no idea what to do."

"Bella," I say, taking her hand in mine now that it's my turn to talk. "First of all, I want you to know that you make me happy, too. The things I feel with you …" I shake my head, smiling to myself. "I've never felt with anyone else. But I'm willing to take this as slow as you want. Just because we're living together doesn't mean anything has to change. Although if you told me that you needed space, I would understand and would give it to you.

"I won't delude myself into thinking that having a 'real relationship'—whatever that even means—will be easy, or that we won't have to deal with people who disagree, but I'm prepared to wait if you need me to, and to work at it if you want to."

Her fingers lace with mine. "So, nothing has to change?" she asks me.

"Not if you don't want it to."

"I don't want it to."

"Thank god," I say, pulling her across our picnic and into a hug. We both laugh in relief.

"At some point," she starts with her face buried in my neck. "We'll have to tell Esme and Carlisle."

"I know," I say on an exhale. "How about we wait at least until we're all moved in here? That way, if they're really against us, we won't be able to hear them yell from across town."

Her giggles erupt into full blown laughter. "Good point," she says when she calms down.

Smiling down at her, I run my thumb over the blushing swell of her cheek. "God, I love to see you smile." I lean in and kiss her lips softly.

She hums as we break apart. "You've made me smile more in the last few days than I have in the past two years."

We eventually finish our picnic and put the remainder of the champagne in the refrigerator, leaving the pillows and blankets piled up in the living room. After getting dressed, Bella sends Esme a text to let her know we got the apartment and were getting some things set up, but that we'd be home for dinner.

Using a napkin, we start making a new list for the apartment. Instead of furniture and bedding, this list contains the true essentials: toilet paper, a coffee pot, food that won't spoil. The small general store in town is our next stop for the day.

Bella pushes the cart and directs me on what to grab from the shelves. We work our way up and down the aisles, acting like a well practiced team. I'm amazed that we fill the cart in no time, and then head back to the apartment to unload our bounty.

Once we have everything put away, Bella takes a few pictures on her phone to show Esme. I assure her that Esme will probably want to come over tonight to see the place for herself so she can help decorate, but she wants the pictures anyway.

We head back to the house around four o'clock and Bella tells me she's going to call her friend in Phoenix. During our trip to the store, we talked a little about what furniture she wants to have shipped and what I have from my college apartment, so we've made a mental list of what we'll still need to buy. We've got our own bedrooms covered—I convinced her to take the master bedroom—and decided we'll each outfit our own bathroom. She is fairly certain she'll get her dining room set, so the only major things left will be for the living room. We plan to just split the cost of whatever we buy to furnish it.

I send a quick text to Emmett asking if I can borrow his truck one day when he gets back. His rapid response lets me know he's already in town and I can use it whenever I want. I decide to invite him for drinks tonight since we haven't seen each other in a few weeks, and I also need to butter him up a bit to borrow his muscle in addition to the truck. He readily agrees, so we plan to meet at The Rat, a hole-in-the-wall bar in town that we like, at eight o'clock.

I laugh over dinner when Esme insists on going over to the apartment with Bella tonight to check it out, claiming she wants to help us decorate so she needs to see it for herself. I tell them to have fun on my way out the door to meet Emmett.

He's already at the bar, beer in hand, when I arrive. We give man hugs and back slaps, and then Emmett signals for another beer from the bartender. Once my beer has arrived, we make our way to an empty table off to the side and out of the way.

"So, you're moving in with the little woman already?" Emmett doesn't beat around the bush.

I chuckle at his candor and begin to explain the situation. "Yeah, she needs her name on a lease to prove residency in order to file the divorce petition. With no job lined up, there was no way she could pass a credit check, so I offered to help."

He sips his beer and I watch his reaction carefully, but he doesn't give anything away. "Have you guys talked about what's going on between the two of you?"

I nod and take a large gulp of my beer. "We talked some today," I tell him while I pick at the label on the bottle. "Essentially, it boils down to the fact that we're both happy with the way things are right now so we don't plan on changing anything. We'll tell my dad and Esme once we're moved in and everything is settled down a bit. Hopefully, the divorce papers will be filed by then, too."

"Let me get this straight," he says, narrowing his eyes. "Your wet dream, since you were sixteen, is going to live with you and is willing to fuck you on a regular basis?"

I close my eyes and laugh loudly at his assessment. "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

"Well, fuck me, man!" he exclaims, slamming his hand on the table and causing several people to look in our direction. "You're living every man's dream!"

His antics cause me to laugh again. Leave it to Emmett to break it down like that.

Our discussion moves on after that and I finally get around to asking for his help with moving some of my stuff, which he readily agrees to. I have a lot of things stored in the basement of the house from my last apartment in college, so Emmett suggests we get it done this weekend. This way, whenever Bella's stuff arrives from Phoenix, we'll be finished and able to help her out.

We end the night early since Emmett has to work the next day, with plans to start the move on Saturday morning.

Esme and Bella are at the dining room table when I get back to the house. Bella's got a list in front of her and a laptop off to the side.

"Hey," I greet, taking a seat at the table. "What did you think, Esme?"

"It's really nice, Edward. More spacious than I expected."

I smile at her assessment, hoping that makes her more comfortable with the situation. Turning to Bella, I tell her, "My friend, Emmett, is going to help me move my stuff out of the basement on Saturday. He's willing to help whenever your stuff gets here, too."

"Thanks, that's really nice of him," she replies. "I don't think it'll be necessary, though. I spoke to Angela today, and she's going to pack my personal things, but I'm going to have to hire movers for the furniture anyway. It'll just be easier to have them move everything in when they get here."

"That makes sense," I agree. "Any idea when she'll be able to do it?"

"I'm hoping in the next few days, since she's got the time off before school starts back up." She bites her lip and pushes her hair behind her ear before continuing. "I called Jasper earlier, too," she says quietly. "He tried to fight me at first, but once I told him that the divorce would be filed any day and he's free to be with Alice, he kind of gave up. He's back in Arizona, thankfully. I guess he couldn't ditch work for too long."

I let my shoulders sag in relief. "That's good. So, we don't have to worry about him showing up out of nowhere anymore?"

She nods and Esme takes her hand. "Yeah, I'm glad he's gone. Anyway, I gave him a general idea of what I wanted from the condo and told him I'd email him the list, which is what we're working on now."

"Cool. Well, I'll leave you ladies to it, then." I tap my hand on the table and stand, wishing them a good night.

"Edward," Bella addresses before I can leave the room. I turn to look at her, seeing a shy smile on her face. "Thanks again … for everything."

"It's no problem, Bella. None at all."

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**A/N: If I missed replying to your review, please accept my apologies. Fanfiction has a new security feature which causes errors more than it should. You know I love each and every review, and I will always try to respond.**

**I will be posting teasers on Fictionators on Mondays and Fic Central on Thursdays. Links to the teasers will be available on my Facebook and Twitter accounts: Kitchmill Fanfic on Facebook or kitchmillfanfic on Twitter**

**Also, if you haven't checked it out yet, my entry for the Twific Happily Ever After contest is now posted under my profile and is being expanded. Chapter 1 of Bass Instinct (the original one shot) and chapter 2 (new chapter) are already up.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

On Thursday morning, Bella and I decide to take a drive and look for some furniture while I'm still on vacation. We head out early to hit some consignment shops as well as regular furniture stores. Bella emailed her list to Jasper last night, and he already agreed to give her what she wants from their condo, so we're set with only needing to outfit the living room.

The first two consignment shops are a bust, but in the first large furniture retailer we find a sectional sofa that we like. The floor model is marked down for a quick sale so we decide to take it. We also find an entertainment unit in the same store, and delivery is arranged for the next day.

The next stop is an electronics store where we purchase a new flat screen TV. The stereo from my bedroom will go in the living room of the apartment, but I want to leave my TV at the house in case my dad and Esme have guests.

Our last stop for the day is Ikea, where we make out like bandits. We buy a coffee table and matching end table, some lamps, a set of dishes, bathroom accessories and lots of little things for the apartment.

After dropping everything off, we head to the house where we both start packing. Bella doesn't have much, but she says she wants to be ready to take her things over. Angela and her husband, Ben, were able to get into her condo today and said they would ship things as they were packed, so Bella's belongings will begin to arrive tomorrow.

The moving company is also arranged already. They'll be picking up the furniture under Angela's direction tomorrow, and it will arrive on Sunday. I'm somewhat amazed at how quickly everything is moving. We'll be settled into our apartment before we ring in the new year.

Friday is my day to hang out at the apartment. Bella drops me off there in the morning to wait for the furniture delivery, while she takes my car to go to her lawyer's office and sign all of the paperwork. It looks like the divorce will be filed before the year is out, too.

Bella will have a clean slate in the coming year.

While I'm waiting for the delivery truck, my first order of business is figuring out how to use the new coffee contraption we purchased. It's called a Keurig or something, and Bella said it was great and she's always wanted one. We splurged on it, so I really hope it lives up to the hype.

I find out quickly that not only is it easy to use, it really does make a perfect cup of coffee. And, brewing one cup at a time is perfect for us. We'd never drink a whole pot between just the two of us.

The next order of business is assembling the coffee table and end table. Like everything Ikea-made, they go together in no time so I place them out of the way for now.

The furniture arrives around ten thirty, and the two guys have no trouble carrying everything up the stairs and putting the entertainment center together. After inspecting everything for damage, I sign off on the delivery and tip them well. The coffee table and end table are put in place, along with a floor lamp and table lamp. Looking around the room, I'm very happy with the way everything has turned out. I take a few minutes to enjoy the view from what I'm sure will become my favorite spot on the couch before getting back to work.

Up next is setting up the TV and stereo system. I work on that until the doorbell rings, first with a shipment of five boxes from Phoenix, and next signaling the arrival of the guy from the telecommunications company. He quickly hooks up our TV and internet service, showing me how everything works and making sure I'm satisfied.

Once I finish with the stereo, I kick back with another cup of coffee and the TV remote, feeling right at home on our new couch. I hear keys in the door right around noon, letting me know that Bella is back. We discussed this morning—well, I insisted and Bella agreed—that our door is always to be locked. There's no way of getting around Jasper having Bella's new address once he receives the divorce papers, and I don't want to constantly have to worry for her safety. I was glad she didn't put up too much of a fight. I also made her promise to always park in the spot closest to our door. The other assigned space isn't far, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

"Everything's signed and on its way to the court house," she greets with a smile. I return her greeting with a searing kiss.

"I'm so happy for you."

Emmett arrives early on Saturday morning and we get to work on pulling my things from the basement. Bella and Esme help out by dumping my clothes in garbage bags and packing up my car. While Emmett and I make several runs back and forth between the house and the apartment, the ladies start unpacking at the apartment.

By the time we have my bedroom set, bed, desk and a hutch for the dining room in place, they have unpacked most of my clothes as well as Bella's hanging clothes and the kitchen items that Angela sent. When the delivery truck arrives with Bella's furniture tomorrow, it will also contain the last few boxes that Angela packed for her. I am amazed at how quickly everything is coming together.

My dad arrives from work, handing me a case of beer just as we're finishing up. We all kick back for a little while in the new living room, enjoying the fruits of our labor. I watch Bella laugh at something Esme says to her and a feeling of contentment washes over me. I hope she's as happy with all of this as I am.

I decide to stay at the apartment on Saturday night even though Bella goes back to the house with my dad and Esme. Her bed isn't here yet, but mine is. We don't expect the delivery truck too early, but just in case, I'll be here.

Waking up in the empty apartment is awkward but okay. I'm actually kind of glad that we decided to move in together. As much as I wanted my own space, I think I would've been lonely if I lived by myself. Having Bella here will be nice for companionship, yet we'll each still have our own space.

I utilize the new coffee machine and lounge around in my PJs for a while, enjoying the homey feeling we've created. Looking around, I see a nice mix of Bella and myself. Nothing is too girly, but it's definitely comfortable.

After a breakfast of champions—otherwise known as Pop Tarts—I get in the shower to start my day. Closing my eyes, I let the hot water soothe my aching muscles. I'm thankful that all of the heavy lifting is done, and that Bella paid the movers to bring all of her stuff in.

Thinking of Bella while in the shower probably isn't the best idea. My dick stands at attention when I realize that as of today, we live together. Once her furniture arrives, she's here to stay. My mind drifts to images of her prancing around in her tiny pajamas, or coming into the kitchen with wet hair after taking a shower. Without my permission, my hand grips my length and I let out a groan at the relief it provides.

I give a few gentle strokes before grabbing the soap and lathering up, cursing at the feeling of my warm, slippery hand gliding over my cock. I groan louder this time, leaning my other hand on the shower wall and dropping my forehead to my extended arm.

A knock at the door startles me and I jump when I hear Bella's voice. "Edward?" she calls timidly.

"Yeah?" I answer, probably an octave too high.

"Just wanted to let you know I'm here." She pauses. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah … just some sore muscles." It's partially the truth.

"Okay, I'll see you when you're finished."

I thought my cock would have deflated at the interruption, but if anything, it's throbbing harder at the thought of Bella almost walking in on me. Thankfully, it doesn't take long to finish the task, and I bite my lip when I cum to make sure Bella doesn't hear me.

I guess that's one strike against having a roommate, but considering I won't need my hand too often if things keep up between us, I think I'll be able to deal with it.

Bella's sitting on the couch with her coffee when I emerge from my room after getting dressed.

"Hey," she says in a chipper voice. "The movers called a little while ago. They should be here in about half an hour."

"Cool. I'm glad the heavy lifting is done," I comment. "At least I can help you unpack stuff today."

"I was thinking I would go food shopping later on. Can I borrow your car? Esme dropped me off here." Her car won't be arriving until Tuesday.

"Yeah, that's no problem. But, I can go with you if you want."

She shrugs. "That's fine. I'm gonna make dinner here tonight if you want to join me. I mean, I don't know if you have plans or whatever …" she stutters nervously.

I turn to face her on the couch and chuckle. "I don't have any plans, Bella. Emmett invited me to a club in Port A, but he's got a new woman each week and I hate being a third wheel. A quiet dinner here, with you, sounds perfect." I reach over and graze my thumb across the blush of her cheek.

She gives me a shy smile. "Sounds good. I guess it'll be good if you come shopping with me so I can figure out what you like to eat."

"Bella," I chide. "There's not much I won't eat, especially if someone else is doing the cooking. You'll quickly learn that I can't cook to save my life. But, I can wash dishes like nobody's business!"

I get a full smile from her. "Okay, I cook, you clean. I think we'll get along just fine."

"I think this living arrangement is going to work out perfectly," I tell her before kissing her softly.

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**A/N: Your reviews have been amazing! Thank you so much. Also, I have another story going right now called Bass Instinct if you'd like to check it out.**

**Come find me on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic) where I'll post links to my teasers and more fun stuff!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you to staceleo for making me an awesome banner for A Family Affair!**

**Chapter 12**

The truck with Bella's belongings arrives right on time. Within an hour and a half, we have a dining room table and chairs, a desk in the corner of the living room, and Bella has a bedroom. I make quick work of the boxes of kitchen and bathroom supplies while she unpacks the rest of her belongings.

After a light lunch, we both decide to relax on the couch for a little while before going food shopping. It's amazing how quickly all this unpacking can wear you out, and I have a feeling Bella hasn't been sleeping too well with everything she's had on her mind lately. Without planning to, we end up asleep on the too-comfortable-for-our-own-good couch.

Two hours later, I wake up with a sleeping Bella in my arms. The TV is still humming quietly in the background, casting a soft glow over her face, and I take some time to really look at her while she's completely at ease. Her face looks so peaceful, with no signs of the stress I know she's carrying. I can only hope that as time goes on, some of that outward stress will begin to disappear from her waking moments as well.

I run my fingers through her long hair, enjoying the silky texture while she continues to doze. Ten minutes later, she stirs and shifts her body to face me, burrowing her face into my chest. She hums before fully waking, wrapping her arm around my waist.

"How long was I asleep?" she questions groggily, looking up at me.

"Not sure," I tell her, while my fingers continue to play in her locks. "I was out for a while, too."

"So comfy," she mumbles with her head back on my chest, and I wonder if she's talking about me or the couch. Either way, I agree with her. I could stay here all day.

After a few more minutes of snuggling, she asks if I still want to go food shopping. We both take quick trips to the bathroom and then head out.

We make a stop at a liquor store first, where I pick up another bottle of champagne and some scotch. Bella chooses a few bottles of wine. I remind her we still have beer left, too.

The grocery store takes longer, since we're not only getting dinner for tonight but also stocking up on food in general. We make our way through the aisles, both picking things up along the way. Once Bella double checks to make sure she has everything for tonight's dinner, we finally get out of there and head home.

_Home_. I like that.

She starts working on dinner as soon as everything is put away. About fifteen minutes later, I join her in the kitchen and make good on my promise, washing dishes as she uses them. Once again, we work seamlessly together, even stepping around each other in the small space as if we're constantly aware of each others' needs. And, I guess we are.

I'm leaning against the counter when Bella closes the oven door after placing the tray of enchiladas inside. She throws a kitchen towel over her shoulder and smirks at me, reaching her hands out to my belt loops and hooking her fingers inside. She pulls my hips off the counter and my body willingly follows, meeting her in the middle. Tilting her head back to look at me—god, she's tiny—I lean down and capture her offered lips in a chaste kiss.

"Thanks for helping," she says with a sexy smile.

"Any time," I answer with a smirk of my own. "I was thinking we could watch a bunch of movies tonight, if you want."

"That sounds good. We've got time before dinner will be ready if you want to start something now."

"Definitely. Go pick something out, woman," I say, smacking her ass and turning her around. "Whatever you want."

"You don't mind a chick flick, do you?" she calls out as I grab a bottle of wine and two glasses. She picks out a stack of movies, enough to take us until well after midnight if we watch them all.

"Not at all," I say, figuring all of the movies were mine anyway. None of them can be that bad. Settling down on the couch, I pour the wine while she puts the first movie into the Blu-Ray player.

She plops herself next to me and picks up her wine glass. "Thanks," she says, gesturing with the glass. "I think this couch might be _too_ comfortable."

I laugh with her. "Yeah, we picked a good one." I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side, getting comfortable as the movie starts.

We watch until the oven timer goes off, and then take a break for dinner. Once we finish eating, I grab an empty beer can to use as a makeshift ashtray and go out onto the balcony for a smoke.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," I tell her, handing her a smoke and lighting it for her.

We chill outside for a little bit, and all I can think about is how _comfortable_ everything feels. It's like there's no effort at all when I'm around Bella. I wonder idly if she feels the same.

The movie plays on when we return to the couch. We watch a few more after that, taking breaks now and then but always returning to cuddle on the couch. The evening flies by, and before I know it, it's ten minutes until midnight.

"Should we take a break and watch the countdown?" I ask, running my hand up and down Bella's arm.

"Yeah, sure. Do you want some champagne?"

I nod, so she goes into the kitchen to retrieve the open bottle and some fresh glasses.

With the movie turned off, I switch to that ridiculous Ryan Seacrest show. I will never understand all the hype about this guy, but I will always love watching the ball drop in New York City so I suffer through him.

"Perfect," Bella says when she walks back into the room. She hands me a glass and sits down next to me. "I love to watch the ball drop."

I chuckle and pull her closer, amazed at how we're always on the same wave length. I kiss the top of her head as we settle in and watch the crowds gathered a few hours previous on the other side of the country.

We both have champagne in hand as the countdown begins. I keep one eye on the TV and the other on Bella, seeing the excitement grow in her eyes and her face glow as the ball nears the bottom. When the shouts of "Happy New Year" come from the TV, she turns to me and taps her glass against mine. We each take a sip of the delicious liquid with our eyes locked on each other.

"Happy New Year, Bella," I say quietly with my hand on her cheek.

She absentmindedly puts her glass on the coffee table and I follow suit. A blush creeps up her cheeks and I can't resist running my finger over it.

"Happy New Year." Her words are almost a whisper, but she's close enough for me to hear it.

Her tongue brushes out across her lips before she leans in and kisses me sweetly. My hands anchor her face to mine as the kiss deepens, our tongues sweeping against each other gently, exploring and cherishing. She tastes like the sweet champagne, but I can still taste her underneath it.

Our touches remain gentle and unassuming as we continue to kiss on the couch for several minutes, until Bella pulls away and meets my eyes.

"Do you want to come in my room with me?" she asks shyly.

"Yeah," I whisper. I smile at her and give one more kiss before we stand. "I'll be there in a minute. Let me make sure everything's locked up."

She nods and I follow the sway of her hips until she disappears into her room. Shaking my head to clear it, I carry our mess into the kitchen, leaving the dishes in the sink until morning. I double check the sliding glass door of the balcony and the front door, making sure they are bolted, and then turn off all of the lights.

Bella's door is partially closed when I reach it, so I knock just in case.

"Come in," she calls out quietly.

I push the door open and suck in a lungful of air as I take in the sight before me. Instead of being in her usual sleeping attire, Bella is laying on top of the covers in a very revealing midnight blue negligee. Her long tresses flow over her shoulders as she leans back on her elbows.

"God, you're beautiful," I tell her, running my hand up the length of her leg as I approach, hearing her breath hitch from my touch. "You know you don't have to do stuff like this for me, right?" I sit on the bed next to her lithe body, my fingers now running leisurely circles over her stomach.

"I mean, don't get me wrong …" I chuckle. "I love it. But I love your tank top and shorts just as much, or even your jeans and T-shirts. You don't have to try to impress me," I tell her seriously.

She nods and sighs. "I know. I guess I just wanted to feel sexy and wanted," she laments.

"Believe me, you are _extremely_ sexy and _very_ wanted," I tell her seriously. "And I'm very much looking forward to tearing this off of you." I smirk at her, and her eyes light up.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to be anybody but yourself," I say, shifting the mood back momentarily. "You're absolutely perfect just the way you are."

"Thank you." She catches my hand and brings it to her lips, kissing first my knuckles and then my palm softly.

"Just be yourself," I whisper, closing the distance between us and kissing her neck lightly. "And, if being you means wearing sexy lingerie around the apartment," I start, returning to joking mode. "Then, by all means, feel free to do so."

My fingers move to her shoulder and slip the strap down slightly, with my lips and tongue following. "But right now … this needs to come off," I growl against her skin. My hands grasp the hem of the material and lift, while Bella lifts her hips to help me.

We kiss and touch lazily, finally able to enjoy each other without fear of interruption. The mood between us is unhurried, and when Bella removes the last article of my clothing, I pull her body to mine and spoon her, savoring the feel of her skin against mine.

While kissing the back of her neck and shoulder, my hand runs over the curves of her body feeling the perfection next to me. She lets out a soft moan when I lift her leg and enter her from behind, then she takes my hand and pulls it over her heart. Our hands remain there, clasped together, while I thrust with slow, deep movements.

Being completely connected like this is an amazingly sensual feeling. When we climax together, it feels like nothing I've ever felt before.

We remain wrapped around each other for a long time and my mind whirls with thoughts of this wonderful, broken woman. I realize that my heart and soul are hers for the taking, and that I will never willingly walk away from her.

After some time, I think that Bella must have fallen asleep, though her grip on my hand hasn't lessened. Quietly, she asks, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

I take a deep breath and soak in the scent of her skin before answering her. "Yeah," I whisper, kissing where her neck and shoulder meet.

We break apart only to get under the covers, then our bodies twine back together face to face on one pillow.

"Can I ask you something?" I question in a hushed tone, running my fingers through her hair. Something's been on my mind since that first night we were together.

"Of course," she answers just as softly.

I continue playing with her hair while I try to word my question. Her eyes never leave mine while she waits. "The first night we were together, you said you had wanted me for a long time, too. Was that the truth?"

She bites her lip and gives me a small smile. "Yeah, it was." And then she proceeds to tell me her story.

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**A/N: So, do we want to hear Bella's story or what?!**

**Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites and alerts. You guys are the best! I also have another WIP called Bass Instinct if you'd like to check it out.**

**Come find me on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic).**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thank you so much for the love you've been showing this story! I know everyone wants to hear what Bella has to say about Edward, so enjoy!**

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**Chapter 13**

_She bites her lip and gives me a small smile. "Yeah, it was." And then she proceeds to tell me her story._

"I wish I could pinpoint a time when it started," she says. My hands run over her body gently while we're wrapped up in each other, encouraging her to continue talking to me. "But, I know I can't. I just remember that even when I first met you, when Carlisle and Esme started dating, we always had a good time together."

"Yeah, I remember that, too." I smile at the memory.

"Sometimes we'd be goofing around, and other times we'd have serious literature discussions," she continues. "I mean, most adults wouldn't talk Shakespeare with me, but here I was having the best chats about The Bard with a sixteen-year-old."

I laugh with her, remembering some of those lengthy discussions.

"I don't know …" she says with a sigh. "I guess at some point, I went from seeing you as a kid to seeing you as an intellectual. I remember the night of your eighteenth birthday, when Esme made a huge dinner and it was just the four of us. Then, later that evening some of your friends came over. I remember looking at you, sitting with one of the girls that were there. This one was hanging all over you but you didn't seem to care."

I laughed lightly, thinking back on talking with Mrs. Cope last week. "I remember that. It was Jessica Stanley, and I never could stand her. She's a nice girl, but not much upstairs, if you know what I mean."

"That never was your type, was it?"

I shrug in response. "Not really."

"I think that was around the time when I _really_ looked at you, you know? I was suddenly seeing a handsome, young man instead of a scrawny kid. You were so grown up, so different but yet, so much the same.

"Of course, Jasper and I were engaged by then, and I never really thought much about it. I just knew I was always drawn to you whenever we were around each other. I always felt like there was some kind of connection between us."

I smile at her and kiss her gently. "There was."

Smiling back at me, she continues. "When we were at the house for the Christmas party before we moved away, I remember watching you from across the room." _Funny_, I think to myself, _because I was watching_ her _from across the room_. "I was miserable that night because I really didn't want to move. I already told you that things weren't great with Jasper by then … ugh, I should have known better!" she ends with a shout.

"Hey, none of that now," I soothe her.

"Sorry … anyway," she says before taking a deep breath. "I just kept looking at you, and what I was seeing was so different from what I thought I should be seeing. Is it weird to say that all I wanted that night was a hug from you? That I knew no one else's hug would make me feel as good as yours would? I knew I couldn't just walk over to you and hug you like I wanted, but it was like somehow you knew. Whenever I was feeling that urge, I'd look over to you and you'd give me a smile.

"I thought about you a lot while I was in Arizona. It's not like I let my fantasies run away with me or anything, but I just thought about you, you know? Some days, when I was feeling really down, I would think that if you were there, you'd kiss me and everything would be better. I don't even know how I got from needing your hug to wanting to kiss you, but once it was in my head, it wasn't going anywhere."

Her beautiful eyes lock on mine. "That's why I was so confused that first night."

"I understand," I tell her softly. "And, I don't think it's weird at all. If I'm being honest, I think we've both felt this connection, but we had no choice except to wait until the time was right … until we were both in the right place in our lives."

"You really are one of a kind, you know that?"

"I could say the same about you, Bella."

Our conversation ends for the night when we snuggle back together under the covers. I certainly didn't want to assume anything, but I am so glad she asked me to stay. Having her wrapped in my arms while we both drift off to sleep is one of the most amazing feelings I've ever had.

Esme and Bella go shopping on New Year's Day because Esme insists on buying us some decorations for the apartment. I gracefully bow out of that trip, trusting Bella's taste in whatever she wants to pick out, and spend the day getting things straightened out at home.

Before I know it, I'm back to work. I hate leaving Bella on Tuesday morning, but feel much better knowing that her car is arriving today. She promises to call me if there are any problems, and thankfully there aren't.

That night, she tells me that she spoke to the Principal at Forks Elementary School, where she used to work, and they may have a job for her. One of their teachers is about to go out on maternity leave, and they need someone to fill in. It would be a temporary position, but Bella is thrilled about the possibility. And, it sounds like the Principal was happy to have her back.

Unless something happens, the job won't start for three weeks. It will last for a minimum of two months, possibly more if the woman decides to extend her leave. The Principal assured Bella that he would look for another place on staff for her once the temporary job is over. The best part is that she won't need to go through all of the background checks since she already worked there before.

We celebrate in my bed that night with Bella on top of me. I watch her as we move together, and I can see the happiness in her features and the stress melting away. My heart soars as I see her fall asleep with a smile on her face.

As the week goes on, Bella and I develop a routine. Although things will change once she starts working, everything is pretty much perfect between us right now. She cooks and I clean, and she has even taken to packing me lunch for work in the mornings.

The divorce papers have been served on Jasper, so now we're just holding our breath that he doesn't try to contest anything. I have a suspicion that he won't, because he's not a stupid man. If he consulted a lawyer at all, he will know that Bella can prove his infidelity. Should he contest the divorce, she could not only drag him through the mud, but she can also ask for spousal support. Right now, he's got it easy since she really doesn't want anything from him.

In the middle of our second week of living together, Bella gets a call from the school asking her to start work immediately. It seems that the woman she's replacing needs to be on bed rest, so they need a substitute sooner than expected. She's thrilled to begin working—one more step in her new life.

I take her out for dinner to celebrate after her first day, and then shower her with orgasms when we get home. She cums first on my fingers, then on my tongue, and finally I take her from behind and she cums on my cock. It's a good night for both of us.

We do have nights where we're not together and we sleep in our own rooms. I have no hard feelings about this at all. I know we both still need some space as we figure everything out.

Towards the end of January, after Bella's been at work for a few weeks, my dad and Esme invite us over for dinner. Bella and I hadn't discussed when we'd tell them about our relationship, but this ends up being the perfect opportunity. We can't hide this forever.

Especially not when I want to be able to hold her hand or kiss her in public.

I can't say I'm not nervous about tonight. Not because I'm ashamed of our relationship, but I'm nervous for Bella. She values her sister's opinion and desperately wants to have her support. I wish I had a clue of what Esme's reaction will be.

We have a brief discussion before we go, and Bella decides she will take the lead when we talk to them. We both agree that we'll be honest with any questions they ask, but we're not necessarily going to offer up specifics, like when we first got together.

We arrive for dinner and walk right in to the house, greeting my dad first and then finding Esme in the kitchen. As usual, I jump right in and help set the table while Bella offers her help with the food.

Dinner is full of talk about Bella's new job. She's animated when she speaks about her kids, and she's thrilled to be back with some of the teachers she was friends with before moving. She's also met a new teacher, Rose, who she seems to have become very close with in a short amount of time.

It's not until we sit down for dessert—Esme's famous Chocolate Pudding Pie—that the real fun begins.

"There's something we wanted to talk to you about," Bella starts, looking from Esme to my dad and back again. I silently take her hand under the table in support. "Um, you know I came back to start my life over again, and, well … I have."

"And I'm so proud of you for doing that, Bells," Esme says before taking a sip of her coffee.

Bella pushes her hair behind her ear with her free hand before she continues. "There's more than just a new job and a new apartment. I'm dating someone." I squeeze her hand.

Esme's face lights up, but I watch my dad sit stoically beside her, his eyes moving rapidly between the two of us. Before Esme can jump in and start asking questions, Bella speaks again.

"It's Edward."

The room becomes deathly silent as the look on Esme's face drops. Several moments go by where no one moves. Esme eventually breaks the silence.

"Did you just say you're dating Edward?"

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**A/N: How do you think Carlisle and Esme will take the news?**

**If you're looking for another Sweetward, check out my other stories! Bass Instinct is a WIP that currently updates on Mondays and Thursdays. One Lonely Night is complete.**

**Come find me on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic) for teasers, story recs and lots of fun!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews. I'm so glad everyone is enjoying this story.**

**I really hate it when FFN eats my formatting when I upload a document. Hopefully I didn't miss anything when I fixed it.**

**Here's an extra long chapter to make up for the last cliffie!**

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**Chapter 14**

_"Did you just say you're dating Edward?"_

I hear the shock in Esme's voice and squeeze Bella's hand a little tighter.

"Yes," Bella answers confidently. "We started dating a little while ago, and I honestly think that Edward's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

I look over at her and give her an encouraging smile, letting her know I feel the same.

"But what … how did … I don't understand," Esme stutters out. She takes a deep breath and tries again. "I mean, I know you two have always been friendly, but you're twelve years older than him." She points at me. "He's my step-son!" she says loudly, rising slightly from her seat.

"I know, Es. This isn't something that we planned," Bella defends calmly. "But you're right, we've always been close, and now we've gotten closer." She looks back and forth between her sister and my dad. "Edward was there for me when I needed him—"

Esme cuts her off in an outrage, turning her fury on me. "Did you take advantage of her?" she yells toward me.

I open my mouth to say something, but Bella beats me to it.

"He did _not_ take advantage of me, Esme. I'm a grown woman and I make my own decisions. Edward is also an adult, and very capable of making his mind up for himself." Esme tries to get a word in, but Bella holds her hand up and continues. "I understand that there will be questions—between my marriage just ending and our age difference—but I want you to know that he makes me happy, which is what I need right now. And, if I'm not mistaken, I make him happy, too."

She turns to me and I nod in agreement, not really feeling like I have anything to add.

"But, Bella …" Esme starts, only to be silenced this time by my father who I had almost forgotten was at the table.

He's the picture of calm and collected, always the reasonable man, as he puts his hand on her elbow. "Esme, sit down and let's talk about this instead of jumping all over them."

"Thank you, Dad," I chime in.

"Look," Bella starts back up. "I know this seems somewhat … unconventional, but we've talked …" She waves between herself and me. "And this is something we want to pursue. Neither of us can predict the future right now, but we'll deal with whatever comes our way. Esme, you know I love you and your support means the world to me, which is why we chose to tell you instead of keeping this quiet. I'll understand if you can't accept this, for now, but I do hope that you'll come around."

Esme huffs but doesn't say anything.

After a few moments of silence, Dad jumps back in. "I can't say I'm thrilled about this, but you're both adults and have clearly thought this out, so I doubt there's anything I can say that will change your mind. Edward, I know I raised you right and I can trust you to be respectful. I expect you to treat Bella properly." He gives me a pointed look.

"Honestly, Dad," I start, glad to finally have a say. "That's one of the reasons I wanted you both to know about this. For one thing, I'm not ashamed of dating Bella and don't want it to be a secret. Also, I'd like to be able to take her out on a proper date." I turn and smile at Bella, whose expression softens immediately.

"What happens when this doesn't work out?" Esme asks, clearly not on board yet. "What about your apartment?"

Bella fields this one. "We're taking things slow right now, and we'll work through whatever comes our way. At the moment, we're still roommates who happen to be dating. We both have our own rooms and we function as two adults who share an apartment. I understand your concerns, but I really would like you to give us a chance to work through everything on our own."

Esme sits back in her chair and crosses her arms. "I still don't like it, but obviously my opinion is not going to change your mind."

"You're right, Es. But I would still like to have your support."

Bella's last comment does the job of softening her sister. "You'll always have my support."

"That's all we're asking for," Bella says, smiling at her sister and ending the discussion.

We stay for a little while longer, but decide to leave when things start to feel strained. Even though they know about our relationship now, I think Bella and I are both unsure how to act in front of my dad and her sister.

Returning home, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I pull Bella down onto my lap after I flop on the couch.

"So, about that date," I say as her arms circle my neck. I feel her fingers tangle in my hair before she kisses me lightly.

"Mmhmm?" she questions.

"May I take you out tomorrow, Ms. Swan?" I ask with formality.

"I'd love that."

I spend Saturday morning planning our date, mostly on the internet but also making a few phone calls.

"Bella," I call out from the living room.

"Yeah?" she answers, walking in from the kitchen.

"Do you have anything you need to do tomorrow?"

She thinks for a moment then answers. "Not really. Why?"

"We'll need to stay over somewhere tonight for where I'd like to take you. Is that okay?"

"That's a little presumptuous for a first date, isn't it, Mr. Cullen?" she says playfully.

I smile at her as I walk over and grab her waist, pulling her close. "I promise to be a perfect gentleman," I say quietly.

"I don't know if you need to go _that_ far," she retorts playfully.

"Is that a yes?"

"Just tell me what to pack," she says, smiling brightly.

I explain that she'll need a cocktail dress for tonight and whatever comfortable clothes she wants for tomorrow. She'll have plenty of time to get ready when we get there, so she goes to pack up while I firm up the plans.

An hour later, we're packed and in the car. After begging me for the first hour of the trip, I finally relent and tell her we're going to Seattle, but I don't give her any other details.

Bella's jaw drops when I pull up at the valet of the MarQueen Hotel. It's a charming, historic building that happened to have a last minute deal when I looked for bookings this morning. We check in and are shown to a beautifully appointed room with a king size bed and a kitchenette.

Once Bella showers, I take my belongings into the bathroom to get myself ready and give her some privacy while she dresses. I shower but leave the stubble I know Bella likes, and then get dressed in a charcoal suit with a lighter grey shirt and a brown tie.

"You decent?" I call out as I knock on the bathroom door before exiting.

"You can come out," Bella responds.

My breath gets caught in my throat when I see her reflection in the mirror as she finishes applying her lipstick. Her hair is mostly up, but long, brown waves flow over one shoulder. She's wearing a black dress with beads and sequins on a lacy overlay. Her décolletage is on display and it takes all my control not to drag my mouth across it.

"You look stunning," I tell her as I approach from behind. My hands find her waist as I drop a kiss in the crook of her neck.

She sucks in a breath before responding. "Thank you. You look pretty good, yourself."

Remembering the gentleman I promised to be, I offer her my arm once she's ready to leave. We walk the few blocks down to Prelude, the restaurant I reserved for dinner. We share a delicious meal and light conversation, but I can't help staring at the beauty before me. I use any excuse to hold her hand or touch her during the meal, and she doesn't seem to mind.

We finish dinner right on time, making our way across the street to Intiman Playhouse. Bella looks at the marquee as I step up to the box office to pick up our tickets.

"Edward," she says with shock in her voice. "You didn't …"

When I look back at her, she's smiling brightly, and I know she's happy that I did. I walk back to her and show her the tickets. "Two for _The Taming of the Shrew_."

Her smile gets impossibly wider and she shakes her head. "You couldn't have planned a better first date," she says, standing on her toes to kiss me on the cheek. She stays there and whispers in my ear. "And, you just may get lucky later."

I laugh and offer her my arm once again to escort her into the theater.

As expected, Bella and I both enjoy the play. It's even more enjoyable because we're together, and I don't think it hurts that she leans into me and holds my hand most of the time.

We walk back to the hotel in comfortable silence, with Bella tucked under my arm right where she belongs. As soon as the hotel room door clicks closed, I turn to drop the key on the desk but Bella surprises me by pushing me up against the wall.

She pulls my head down to hers and kisses me deeply. "Thank you for a perfect first date," she says as soon as our lips part.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did," I respond with a smile.

"Now, I'm pretty sure I promised something along the lines of getting lucky," she says as her hands work to open the buttons on my suit jacket. As soon as she pushes it over my shoulders, it drops to the floor and she pulls on my tie, loosening it just enough to slip it over my head.

I hum in agreement when she starts working on the buttons of my shirt with one hand, the other hand dragging down my chest over the exposed skin. My head falls back against the wall as her lips follow the same path her hand just took and my shirt joins my jacket on the floor.

Wrapping my arms around her, my fingers feel for the zipper of her dress and begin pulling it down her back. I lean over and place kisses on her neck and across her shoulder, enjoying the bare skin once I've slipped the strap down her arm. Once the zipper is fully open, I lean back to enjoy the view of her dress pooling around her feet.

"Beautiful," I whisper as I take in the sight of her black strapless bra and lacy underwear, my hands ghosting down her arms. She turns around to open the clasp of her bra and I realize she's wearing a thong. I reach out once again and slide my hands from her ribs to her waist, ending on the full flesh of her ass. I groan as she bends over to remove her underwear.

Still wearing her heels, she walks over to the bed and sits on the edge, crooking her finger in a "come hither" way. I'm off the wall in a flash and moving toward her.

"Leave them," I command in a voice I don't recognize when she starts to take off the shoes.

She looks up and bites her lip as I stand between her parted legs. I make quick work of the rest of my clothing while she watches. Her lips make contact with my chest and she wraps her hand around my cock, causing me to groan in appreciation.

I push her body gently so she's lying on the bed and I hover over her, kissing a fiery trail down her neck, across the flawless skin of the décolletage that's been taunting me all night, and finally covering a perfect breast with my mouth. She moans as my teeth gently nip at her taut bud, and again when my fingers find her wet center.

"Mmm, so wet for me, Angel," I tease before slipping two fingers inside her.

Her breath catches before she whimpers, her hips shifting against my hand. "I need you, Edward. Now," she whispers.

"Anything you want, baby." I slip my hands under her shoulders and slide her up the bed, dropping my body on hers and gliding my flesh through her wetness.

She reaches between us and takes me in her hand, guiding me to where she wants me and shifting her hips so I enter slightly. Following her lead, I thrust quickly, stilling when our hips meet.

"So good," she mewls.

I kiss her deeply as our hips begin to work in tandem, pushing and pulling and meeting perfectly in the middle. When our breathing picks up to where we are no longer able to kiss, I pull back and watch her closely. Her beauty, both inside and out, astounds me. Her eyes are squeezed shut and her mouth is open, panting breaths escaping as she focuses on our movements.

Her eyes fly open and lock on mine when my fingers reach between us to heighten her pleasure. I continue watching her while our tempo increases. Her face and chest flush when I feel her orgasm start, and I hold myself back so I can enjoy seeing her pleasure.

"God, you're beautiful when you cum," I tell her through gritted teeth.

When her eyes finally close, I let myself go. With a few erratic pumps, I spill deep inside her, throwing my head back and screaming her name in ecstasy.

I come to my senses and look down at her, finding her smiling at me. She reaches out and cups my cheek. "You're pretty beautiful, too."

**A/N: No cliffie this time! Please let me know what you thought.**

**Come find me on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic).**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The weeks after our first date pass by quickly, and Bella and I fall into a comfortable routine. We go out on more dates and have a good time continuing to get to know each other better. The more I'm around her, the more I realize how deep my feelings for her truly are.

I make sure to give her some space though, because I know she's not ready for more than what we have. And, I can live with that. For now.

Bella makes an effort to spend some time with Esme as well. She tells me that although there is no rift between them, she understands that Esme still isn't fully supportive of our relationship. I'm just thankful for the fact that Esme is not hurtful to Bella because of me. Bella assures me that it will just take time for Esme to accept us being together, so I resolve to let it happen naturally.

One Saturday night, Bella and her friend Rose plan to go to a local bar and she invites me to come along. I invite Emmett to join us as well, hoping to have a fun evening with my best friend, figuring the girls will be occupied together. Bella and I arrive first, so I grab beers while she finds a table for us.

Emmett saunters in shortly after I sit down next to Bella, and loudly makes his presence known. "What up, E?" he greets. Turning to Bella, he says, "Looking lovely, as always, B."

"Good to see you, Emmett," she says before kissing him on the cheek.

We sit and chat for a few minutes, with Emmett ordering a beer from the waitress when she checks on our table. Not much later, I see a striking blonde heading toward our table. She's definitely a looker, appearing to be in her late twenties, but not my type. I'm not surprised when she steps up to the empty seat, asking, "Is this seat taken?"

Bella smiles brightly before jumping up and hugging her. "I'm so glad you made it, Rose!" She turns back to the table to introduce us. "Rose, this is my boyfriend, Edward."

I'll never tire of hearing her introduce me that way. I get up and step around the table, shaking Rose's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Rose. I've heard a lot about you."

"You, too," she says sweetly.

Bella then turns to Emmett to introduce them. When I look at his face, I swear I can see the little cartoon hearts floating around his head as he gapes at Rose. He stands up, takes Rose's hand and kisses her knuckles, then says, "Where have you been all my life?"

A look of amazement crosses her face, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snickering out loud. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bella doing the same. Rose hasn't said anything, but Emmett pulls out a chair for her and pushes it in as she sits.

My best friend, the self-proclaimed player, is completely smitten with this blonde teacher.

Rose and Emmett hit it off immediately and end up ignoring Bella and me for most of the night. Bella looks on happily at her friend though, so I leave well enough alone and end up spending more time with my girlfriend than I thought I'd get.

We stumble home from the bar, after watching Rose and Emmett leave together, giggling and acting silly the whole way. This is the first time we've gotten drunk together, and I love seeing the playful side of Bella, which she seems to let loose more and more each day.

"You know," Bella starts once we're in our living room. "Watching Emmett and Rose stare at each other all night was like free porn." She laughs at her own joke and I can't help but join in.

"Oh, Ms. Swan, are you a dirty girl?" I say in my huskiest voice. "Did it make you hot to watch their foreplay?"

I stalk toward her as she continues to laugh, letting out a squeal as I get almost close enough to grab her. She turns on her heel and sprints to her bedroom, but I'm faster. I grab her around the waist before she makes it to her bed and pull her back into my body.

"Tell me, Isabella," I whisper in her ear. "Are you wet for me right now?"

Her giggles stop and turn into a moan.

"I want to hear your words, baby," I say before placing an open mouth kiss on my favorite spot below her ear.

"Yes," she moans out.

"Yes, what?" I demand.

"Yes, I'm wet for you," she concedes in a small voice.

I growl and turn her around, tossing her body lightly onto the bed and follow her down. "That's good," I tell her. "Because I'm so hard for you right now." I punctuate my words with a thrust of my hips, grinding my erection into her.

Clothes begin flying and my hand is between Bella's legs while her jeans and panties are still around her ankles. I groan loudly and bury my face in her chest when I realize she wasn't kidding about being wet. "Fuck," I mutter as I move down her body, intent on replacing my hand with my mouth. "I need to taste you, baby."

She kicks her feet to get her clothes the rest of the way off, but I ignore that and get to work. I lick up her slit with force and she moans, then I suck her clit into my mouth and flick it with my tongue. Just as I'm really getting into the action, she squirms out of reach and sits up.

"What's the matter?" I ask, my eyes wide, wondering if I've done something wrong.

She shakes her head. "Nothing. Just lay down."

Her wish … my command.

I groan again when she straddles my face and leans over. I get back to work quickly, but hiss when she sucks my cock deep into her throat. With my hands on her thighs, I pull her further down on me, burying my face in her pink flesh as I continue to lick and suck, pleasuring her the way she's pleasuring me.

When my fingers enter her, she hums around me and speeds up her movements. I can't control the noises I'm making or the slight bucking of my hips when her hand reaches down to fondle my balls. Her oral skills are making it difficult for me to concentrate on one of my favorite things and I think tonight might end up as only a thirty-four and a half. But I persevere, adding a third finger and making sure to hit her g-spot on every thrust.

As soon as I feel her orgasm start, I slow down my movements and kiss the inside of her thighs. "Fuck, I'm gonna cum, baby," I warn her. She's swallowed the few times she's done this before, but I feel like I should give her the option.

Thankfully, she doesn't remove her mouth and takes me slightly deeper. I moan and start to cum when I feel her throat muscles constrict around me. She continues to suck and lick until I'm empty, finally releasing me with a pop.

My head falls back against the bed in exhaustion as Bella scoots around and snuggles up to me. Another perfect night with my perfect girlfriend.

On a random weeknight after work near the end of February, Bella asks if she can talk to me after we finish dinner. Of course, I say yes, but not much more of my meal goes down as I worry over what she might want to talk about. Crazy scenarios run through my head, like she's found someone else or I put the toilet paper roll on upside down and she doesn't want to live with me anymore.

Finally, once the kitchen is clean, we sit in the living room with the TV off.

"So, what's up?" I prompt.

She pushes her hair behind her ear and bites her lip, both signs that she's nervous. "There's not really a good way to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and say it." Well, that's not making me feel very good. "Remember the first night we were together, when I told you I'm on the birth control shot?"

I gulp and nod, worried about where this is leading. But, she has to know I'll stand by her no matter what.

"Oh, god! Don't worry. I'm not pregnant or anything!" she blurts, probably taking in the whiteness of my face.

I let out a breath. "Okay, so what's this about then?"

She huffs lightly. "I'm due for my next shot, and I don't want to get it," she states, swallowing audibly. "I just … I mean, I thought this was something you should know about."

A little chuckle escapes me, and I pick up her hand in relief. "Yeah, probably something I should know. I guess … condoms?"

She nods. "Yeah, for now."

As thrilled as I was that we haven't needed condoms before now, using them is not really the end of the world. Then I take in Bella's words.

"What do you mean, 'for now'?" I ask.

"That's the other thing," she says, biting her lip again but not continuing. After several moments, I'm getting increasingly worried.

"Bella, whatever it is, you can talk to me, okay?" I implore. So far, we haven't hidden things from each other, and I don't want to start now.

"I know. This just … it isn't easy because it'll probably change things between us."

"Just talk to me, please," I say nervously, pulling her sideways onto my lap and hugging her close.

She lets out a sigh. "You know one of the reasons I was unhappy with Jasper was because I wanted to have kids and he wasn't ready." I nod and hum my acknowledgement with my head against her hair. "Well, I still want to have kids, and I'm not getting any younger. At thirty-five, I'll be considered 'advanced maternal age' and it may already be difficult for me to conceive.

"Look, Edward," she says, pulling from my embrace to face me but staying on my lap. "I'm not asking you to have a child with me or anything, which is why I said it might change things. This is something I'm prepared to do by myself … maybe not today, but not too far in the future, either. I had an appointment the other day and my doctor advised that I needed to give my body a few months to normalize after the shot anyway, but after that," she shrugs. "I don't know."

I chew on the inside of my cheek for a moment while I process her words. She wants to have a baby. Soon. She's prepared to do it by herself, but is that what she really wants? What does she want from our relationship if she's going to have a baby by herself? What do _I_ want?

"Where exactly does that leave us?" I finally ask her with a gulp.

"I guess that depends on you. I mean, like I said, it's not going to happen today, but I needed you to know in case you don't want to be in a relationship with a single mom."

"And, you'd do this with a sperm donor or something?"

"Most likely," she says hesitantly.

My mind flits about for a moment with all of the options. I don't have a clue at this point what I want because I haven't had a reason to think that far ahead, but I don't think I'd ever forgive myself for letting her go just because she wanted to be a mother. I know I have to ask.

"What about doing it with me?"

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**A/N: Hmm … what do we think about that?**

**Thanks to Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy for coining and allowing me to use her awesome term of "thirty-four and a half." If you aren't reading her story **_**Tip of the Spear**_**, you don't know what you're missing!**

**I'll see you on Facebook or Twitter (Kitchmill Fanfic or at kitchmillfanfic) with teasers, pics, story recs and more!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I was honestly surprised at how many of you immediately wanted Edward to be the baby daddy. Let's see what they decide …**

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**Chapter 16**

"What about doing it with me?"

Her eyes widen at my question, so I continue on with my explanation. "Look, this is obviously a big deal and something I'd have to think about—we'd both have to think about. But I guess I'm just curious to know if you'd even consider it. If you're set on doing this alone, I'd understand, but it's hard for me to figure out where I fit in this equation if you don't tell me where you want me."

Although we've definitely grown closer over the last two months of living together, I'm still following Bella's lead on the pace of our relationship. I think now would be an appropriate time to discuss things in a bit more detail since she tossed this out there.

She shifts off my lap and returns to her spot next to me. "I don't really know," she admits with a shrug. "I only thought far enough to figure that you probably wouldn't be interested at your age, and then moved on to other options."

"Don't you think that should be my choice?" My words may be harsh, but I try to keep my tone gentle. I have to admit that it hurts that she would dismiss me so easily, as if our relationship doesn't mean very much to her. "I've been following your lead in this relationship because I knew you needed to go slow. But, maybe it's time for you to figure out what you really want. You were the one to point out to Esme that I'm an adult and can make my own decisions. So, please, take some time to think about it and then let me be the one to decide what I want for my life."

She's looking down and hiding behind her hair by the time I'm finished speaking. "I'm sorry." I hear a small sniffle after she speaks.

"Bella, I'm not mad at you." I try to lift her face, but she keeps it angled down, hidden behind her hair. "Look at me, please," I beg. When she finally looks up, I see her eyes are red and glassy. "I stand by my promise that I'll be here for you, no matter where our relationship goes, okay? I need you to remember that."

At her slight nod, I continue. "I just don't think it's fair for you to make decisions for me, just as I wouldn't make them for you. Please, take some time to think about what you want, not what you think _I'll_ want. Let me do that. And then we'll figure out where we go from there, together."

With a watery smile, she nods again. "Okay."

The discussion ends there and we both go our separate ways for the night. I spend some time in my room, just thinking, and hoping that Bella is as serious about me as I am about her.

It doesn't take me long to come to an important conclusion: I'd rather have Bella in my life than not in it.

Any way I look at it, that's what it boils down to.

Do I love her? Yes, with all my heart. Do I want to see her happy, even if it's not with me? Absolutely.

Throwing a child into that equation doesn't change things much. I want to be the one by her side in every situation. I want to be the one holding her hand, comforting her when things are tough, and sharing in the joys of life.

Am I ready to settle down and have kids right now? I don't know the answer to that instinctively, but when I think of the various scenarios in my head, I constantly come up with the same response. I want to be with Bella and I want to give her the world. I love her and would love any child that she has, whether it's part of me or not. So, why not make it part of me in the first place?

I can't find a good reason not to.

Except … if that's not what she wants.

The next few days pass with some tension in the air. I kiss her the first morning and tell her to let me know when she's ready to talk. She agrees, and we go our separate ways to work. We still spend time hanging out in the evenings, but there's definitely a strain between us.

Finally, on the third night after our discussion, I can't take it anymore and decide to talk to her over dinner.

"I know I said I'd give you some time to think about everything, but I can't stand that it's coming between us like this already."

She looks up from her plate with wide eyes, probably not expecting me to jump right in like that.

I set my fork down and plow on, undeterred. "Whatever you want to do, it won't be for a few months, right?" When she nods, I continue. "So, there's no reason we have to make any hard and fast decisions today."

I pick her hand up from the table and thread our fingers together.

"I thought you wanted a decision so you can figure things out," she says timidly.

"I do, but not at the expense of ruining what we have right now." I grip my hair with my free hand in frustration and then rest my elbow on the table. "I do need to know what you want out of this … us," I say, waving my hand between the two of us. But I don't want us to pull away from each other while you think about it."

And then, it dawns on me.

"Unless …" I gulp. "Unless that's what your decision is."

She looks at me with a pained expression before her eyes widen again. "Oh, god no, Edward!" She jumps out of her seat and moves around the table to sit next to me, our hands still twined together. "That's not it at all! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were so worried about that."

I laugh without humor. "I wasn't, until a minute ago," I admit. "I wanted to give you some space, but I feel like we haven't connected since that conversation."

She quickly turns her chair to face mine and I do the same, close enough that our knees touch. "Do you want to know what I've been thinking?" she asks, and I nod. "I know you want me to think about what I want and not think about what is right for you, but I can't seem to get passed the fact that you'd be doing something for me that you wouldn't do otherwise. And I know you … you'd do it just because you care about me."

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. I think we've hit the point of no return here.

"Bella," I say, scooting forward on my chair and releasing one of her hands so I can touch her face. "I wouldn't be doing it just because I care about you." I take a deep breath before continuing. "I'd be doing it because I'm in love with you."

Looking deep into her eyes, I plow on. "Every way I think about this, all I come back to is that I want to be with you. If you have a baby, I'd still want to be with you. If you never wanted to have kids, I'd still want to be with you then, too. And when I think about you having a baby and me standing by you, all I can think about is that although I'd love your child no matter what, I'd love for it to be a part of me as well."

Her mouth is open and I think I've stunned her, so I give her one last thing to think about. Running my thumb across her cheek, I tell her, "All you have to decide is if you want that part in your life to be filled by me."

Without giving her a chance to respond, I kiss her cheek gently and then quickly stand, taking my plate into the kitchen and dropping it in the sink. She's still sitting in the same position when I pass back through the dining room, so I leave her to her thoughts and head into my room. When she's ready, she can come talk to me.

I lose myself in music for a while, turning up the volume on my iPod so I can't hear or think about anything else. My eyes are closed as I lay on my bed with hands clasped behind my head and my ankles crossed. I'm not sure how long I've been in my room when I'm startled as something touches my elbow.

My eyes flash open to find Bella standing by the side of my bed looking nervous with her lip caught between her teeth.

"Sorry," she mutters as I pull the ear buds out of my ears. "I knocked, but you didn't hear me."

"That's okay," I tell her, scooting up to a sitting position with my back against the headboard. I pat the bed in front of me, inviting her to sit.

She sits down and crosses her legs, pushing some long hair behind her ear that has escaped her ponytail. We sit in silence for a few beats with Bella staring at the bedspread and me staring at her. She made the decision to come in here, so I give her the time she needs to gather her thoughts.

Still staring down at the bed, she speaks so quietly I almost have trouble hearing her. "Did you really mean it?"

I'm not exactly sure which part she's referring to, but it doesn't matter. "Every word," I tell her confidently.

She finally looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "Even the part about—"

I cut her off by putting my fingers up to her mouth. "All of it."

She takes a deep breath when I remove my fingers and nods, more to herself, I think, than to me. "I was worried about this being too much for you, tying you down when you're so young. I was afraid my feelings were too strong," she says before biting the inside of her cheek.

I know what she's not saying, and if she needs more time to actually say it, I can give her that.

"Bella, let me ask you something." She nods. "When you were twenty-two, did you know that you wanted to have kids?"

"Of course," she answers quickly.

"So do I. It may not be something I thought about becoming a reality just yet, but that was because before now, there wasn't anyone that I would have wanted to share it with." I finally grab her hand and pull her into my lap. "We've got some time to figure out the details. But, if you want me to be part of your life, then I'm all in."

I kiss her lips gently, wanting so much more but pulling back before things get out of control. When I look down at her, she's smiling.

"I want you to be part of my life. Nothing would make me happier."

I smile and close my eyes, leaning in to kiss her again. Just before our lips touch, I hear her whispered words. "I love you, too, Edward."

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**A/N: I hope that was what you were all hoping for! Leave me your thoughts.**

**Come find me on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic). Teaser on Monday at Fictionators (links on Facebook and Twitter), and the next update will be Tuesday.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I am blown away by the love you guys had for the last chapter. Writing the ILYs always makes me nervous, so I was thrilled with all the positive reviews. Thank you!**

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**Chapter 17**

Things have been damn close to perfect between Bella and me since the night we confessed our feelings to each other. These days, we share a bed more often than not, even if there's no sex involved. It seems we're both cuddlers, and we sleep better when we're wrapped up in each other.

The only real difference for us would be the addition of the condoms. After having Bella with nothing between us, I can admit to hating the latex these days, but it's a necessary evil. So, I've conveniently stashed them all around the apartment. You never know when the mood will strike … and we've already christened most areas of our place.

Since we're still working on having Esme accept our relationship, Bella decides to invite her and my dad over for dinner. We tend to both be a little uncomfortable when we're in their house, so Bella thought we might be more at ease, more likely to act like ourselves, if they came here.

Before they arrive for dinner, Bella tells me that she's done putting on a show and she plans to be as affectionate with me as she usually is. I'm more than happy with that decision, and interested to see how it plays out.

Dad and Esme arrive with two bottles of wine and some kind of pie for dessert. I take their coats while Bella takes the food and drink into the kitchen.

"Make yourselves at home," I tell them, waving my hand at the couch. "I'll go open the wine."

I walk into the kitchen, which can be somewhat seen from the living room. Figuring this is as good a time as any to start, I step behind Bella and reach around her to get a bottle of wine off the counter, sweeping her hair off her neck and kissing it in the process. I feel her cheek lift in a smile against the side of my face.

"Love you," I say quietly.

She turns and pecks my lips. "Love you, too." I'll never tire of hearing those words from her.

I take the wine and grab the opener while Bella gets the glasses out. When I turn back to the living room, I see both Dad and Esme watching us. Neither says a word about our exchange when Bella and I hand them their glasses of wine.

The topic of conversation before and during dinner is the exciting news of Bella's permanent job at Forks Elementary. The teacher who was on maternity leave decided not to return, instead wanting to be a stay at home mom for a few years. Bella was offered the job first, and accepted it with no hesitation.

I make no qualms about putting my arm around Bella's shoulder while we're talking, and she shows no discomfort at my touch. I can see Esme still isn't thrilled with it, but thankfully she withholds any comments. Dad seems to take it all in stride.

Esme eventually steers the conversation into dangerous territory. "Have you heard anything from Jasper?" she asks innocently.

Bella makes a face but stays calm. "No, but according to Mr. Jenks, there's no use worrying about it. Technically, he can contest right up until the day the petition is granted, so just because we're close to the deadline doesn't mean he's not going to file."

"That must be rather nerve-wracking," Esme adds. It seems like she's trying to draw a reaction out of Bella.

"Actually, I've essentially put it out of my mind for now. There's nothing I can do but wait, so I'm just living my life in the mean time." She turns and gives me a smile. "Besides, I really don't think Jasper will be stupid enough to contest when he was the one who was unfaithful and he knows I can prove it."

"Hmpf," Esme mutters, clearly not getting the reaction she wanted.

I don't necessarily think she's against our relationship, but at the same time it feels like she's trying to point out anything that could break us apart. Too bad Bella and I have already been through these topics, and we're stronger for it.

We continue with holding hands and touching whenever possible throughout the rest of dinner and dessert, and things seem to smooth out with normal conversation for the rest of the evening. I notice Esme giving Bella an extra long hug before she leaves, so I question Bella about it once we're alone.

"She apologized for bringing Jasper up during dinner," Bella tells me. "And, she said she could see I'm happy, so she's happy for me."

I breathe a sigh of relief at that, hoping that Esme is now one step closer to accepting us as a couple. I understand how strange the situation is—I mean, if Bella and I ever get married, Esme would be her step-mother-in-law in addition to being her sister. But, that's still a long way off.

As March drags on, I can tell that Bella is getting more and more nervous about the divorce petition. When we talk about it, she admits that she's partly expecting Jasper to pull some last minute move just to make her life difficult. The fact that she hasn't heard from him in a while is what scares her the most.

"Whatever happens, we'll face it together," I promise her as we lay in her bed together one night. For no specific reason, her bed has become the one we spend most of our nights in. I couldn't care less, as long as I have her next to me.

"Thank you," she says with a sigh. "For always understanding."

I kiss her forehead and pull her body tighter to mine. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she says. "I just want to be here … with you."

"Want me to take your mind off of it?" I ask with a wicked grin and a waggle of my eyebrows.

She laughs. "What did you have in mind?"

"Why don't I just show you, instead?" With that, I pull the covers up over my head and scoot my body down the bed. Grabbing her legs, I roll her onto her back and pull her knees up in one smooth motion. She's already naked since we tend to forgo any type of pajamas these days, so I don't waste any time burying my face in her pussy.

"Oh, god … Edward," she moans out as I suck her clit into my mouth.

I moan at her taste, which is something I will never tire of. "You taste so good, baby," I tell her as my fingers play near her entrance. Slipping one inside, I hum against her at the feeling of wet heat surrounding it.

I get her good and worked up, and then slow my movements when her hums and whimpers tell me she's close.

"Please, babe," she whines, causing me to chuckle against her body.

"Not yet," I tell her, increasing my motions only slightly.

After a few more minutes, when I can tell she's getting close again, I switch up my tactics. My tongue enters her heat and the thumb of my free hand rubs circles on her nub. When her moans increase a little more, I use the finger still wet with her arousal to rub her back entrance.

She jumps at the contact. "Edward," she says reproachfully.

I pull the covers off my head. "Just relax, baby. Let me make you feel good. I promise to stop if you don't like it."

I apply a little more pressure when she nods her head slightly, and let my tongue get back to work in her pussy. As I work her over some more and feel her body relaxing again, I slip my fingertip inside. Her muscles automatically clench, but I keep up my other movements and she eventually relaxes.

"Okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," she responds breathlessly.

I continue working and slip my finger in a little deeper, swirling it around a bit in the process. Her hips are bucking against my face, so I know she's getting close. I rub harder and tongue faster until I feel everything clench around me.

"Oh, fuck … Edward!" she cries out as her orgasm takes over.

I pull my finger out gently but continue rubbing her lightly, extending the pleasure as long as I can. When I look up at her, she's breathless and flushed with her eyes closed in bliss. I love being the one to make her look like that.

I leave her momentarily to come down from her high while I slip into the bathroom to wash up. When I come back to bed, she's completely sated and beautiful.

"Feeling okay?" I ask, chuckling as I crawl in next to her.

She turns to me with a goofy smile. "Yeah, definitely didn't expect to enjoy that."

"See?" I say defensively. "This is why you have to just trust me to take care of you."

She laughs loudly and slaps my chest. "Okay, you've convinced me," she says finally. "I'm willing to try whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" I ask, wiggling my eyebrows.

She smirks before amending her prior statement. "I always have veto power."

"Always, baby," I agree, kissing her passionately.

The night before the deadline for the divorce petition, Bella tells me that she's planning to take the day off from work.

"I just don't think I'll be able to concentrate on the kids all day, knowing my phone could ring at any time and have bad news," she says.

"Or good news," I remind her. "But I understand. Do you want me to stay home with you? We could just relax together."

"You don't mind?" she asks with hopeful eyes.

"Not at all, Angel." I kiss her forehead and hug her tight to my body.

We both play hooky the next day and sleep in late, making love in the morning before getting out of bed. I love feeling her warm body pressed up against mine, and I hope the orgasms I gave her helped her to relax.

Much of the day is spent on the couch, watching movies and eating junk food, cuddled up under a blanket. We laugh together and forget about the outside world for a while. I massage her shoulders, hoping to keep her body relaxed throughout the day.

When her cell phone rings at two fifteen, she stares at it and bites her lip. "It's still early in the day," she says quietly. "That could mean bad news."

"Do you want me to get it?" I offer.

"No," she sighs. "Here goes nothing …" she says as she reaches for the phone.

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**A/N: Sorry for leaving you with a cliffie! Let me know what you thought.**

**Teasers and more on Facebook and Twitter … Kitchmill Fanfic or at kitchmillfanfic.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_"No," she sighs. "Here goes nothing …" she says as she reaches for the phone._

My thumbnail goes into my mouth as I watch her nervously slide her finger across the screen to answer the call.

"Hello? … Yes, this is Bella."

She's quiet for a few moments as she listens to whoever is on the other end of the phone. My eyes are on her face, looking for any kind of clue as to what the news is, but her expression remains stoic.

She chews on her bottom lip before finally speaking. "Okay, thank you for calling and letting me know. I'll look for it next week. I appreciate your help, Mr. Jenks … You, too."

Her hand is shaking as she ends the call and puts the phone down. When she turns to me, her eyes are glassy. My heartbeat picks up and jumps into my throat while I wait for her to tell me what happened.

"He got a call from the court earlier than he expected," she says in a shaky voice. "It seems the judge didn't wait until the last minute to enter his ruling. My petition has been granted."

I let out the breath I was holding while I watch the tears slide down her face. "It's done?" I ask, slightly stunned.

"It's done," she states as a smile graces her face. "I'm free. We're free!" she amends. The tears are still flowing, but they are clearly happy tears.

I scoop her up in my arms and nuzzle my head in her neck. "That's wonderful news, baby!" My voice cracks and is muffled by her hair, but she's nodding her head so I know she understood. "I'm so happy for you." My own tears are burning my eyes.

A sob escapes her chest. "I can't believe it," she forces out. "God, I'm so happy right now, I want to scream." She laughs at herself and I join in.

"Go ahead and let it out, Angel."

She shrieks and kicks her feet against the sofa, still laughing with tears on her face. She's so beautiful in this moment and I hope it never ends.

When she finally calms down a little, she hugs me again, sighing into my neck. "God, I love you, Edward. Thank you for sticking with me while I fixed the mess I made of my life."

"I love you, too, Bella. And, there's nowhere I'd rather be."

I lift her face off my shoulder and kiss her passionately. She returns it tenfold. It doesn't take long for us to get lost in each other. My hand threads through her hair and holds her to me while her fingers dance up and down my back, scratching lightly through my shirt.

Needing to feel more, I reach behind me and pull my shirt over my head. Bella gets the idea and removes her own. My hands cup and explore her bra-covered breasts while I kiss along her jaw, finding the spot behind her ear that drives her wild.

She rakes her fingers up and down my chest for a while, humming in appreciation as my tongue swipes at her earlobe. Reaching between us, she deftly opens the button and zipper of my jeans, freeing my aching cock.

"I want you, babe," she says before taking the skin of my neck between her teeth.

I hiss and buck into her, and then stand up with her body wrapped around mine. I toss her down on the couch then remove my jeans and underwear, watching Bella do the same with the rest of her clothes. While she finishes undressing, I reach into the drawer of the end table and grab a condom, slamming it closed with a little more force than necessary in my haste.

"How do you want me?" I ask lowly, licking my lips as I enjoy the sight of her naked flesh. I quickly tear open the condom and roll it on, and then approach her like a lion stalking its prey.

"Sit down," she orders, moving her feet to indicate where she wants me. I comply, knowing that there is no bad position, as long as I'm with Bella.

She scrambles onto my lap and immediately sinks down on me, causing me to groan when I feel her tightness and heat. Her arms wrap around my neck and mine go around her waist so I can feel every inch of her upper body pressed tightly to mine. She begins moving over me and her nipples rub against my chest with every pass.

"Oh, god," I moan in between licks and sucks of her collarbone.

"Yes," she hisses out as I start meeting her movements from below.

I pull back slightly from our embrace and look into her eyes. "I love you," I tell her sincerely.

Her eyes close momentarily from the force of my last thrust, but then open and lock with mine. "I love you, too … so much." A few moments later, she looks at me again. "Edward, I need you to fuck me … hard."

"Oh, baby," I coo, standing up and depositing her on the floor. "Gladly."

I step behind her and carefully push her upper body down so her forearms are resting on the seat of the couch. Her ass is in the air and on perfect display for me. I slide my hand through her folds a few times to tease her, gathering her arousal on my fingers. I push three inside quickly and she moans out her approval. I tap her g-spot a few times, causing her to twitch, before I remove my fingers and slam my cock back into her.

"Fuck!" she yells.

"Is this what you want?" I ask as I thrust into her swiftly. "You like it like this, don't you?" My hands roam her pert ass.

"Yes," she says mid-moan. "More," she whimpers.

"My pleasure," I tell her, leaning my body over hers and kissing down her spine. When I stand back up, I slide one of my arousal coated fingers into her back entrance while I maintain the deep, hard thrusts of my cock. She moans long and low as her hips begin pushing back against me with each thrust. "That's it, baby. Take what you want."

We keep up the pace until I feel her walls begin to flutter around me. I decide to give her a little boost, so at the same time that I begin rubbing her clit, I add a second finger to her ass.

"Oh, fuck! Edward!" she screams as her pleasure takes over.

The feeling of her squeezing my cock sets me off every time, and I willingly follow her into oblivion, erratically thrusting my hips until I'm completely empty. I hug her body tightly around her waist as I collapse over her back. When her knees buckle, we fall to the floor, still connected with Bella's upper body lying on the couch.

She turns slightly and hums as our breathing begins to even out and I kiss her lips lightly. I may be considered in my prime at twenty-two, but I doubt I'll ever get enough of her.

After a nice, long nap to recover from our celebratory activities, Bella calls Esme and Rose to share the good news. I don't know who she's talking to at the moment, but her laughter fills the apartment, causing me to smile.

I think about her words from earlier. "We're free," she had said. My mind focuses on the "we" part. She is finally free of Jasper, but _we_ are now free to move forward. I can't help but wonder where exactly she wants to go from here. No matter what, we'll be able to do it together.

I hate that my thoughts automatically drift to marrying her, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about that since we had the discussion about having a baby together. Not that marriage is a necessity in this day and age—I just think that it would make everything that much better.

But, Bella is _literally_ just coming out of a divorce. I don't know if she'd ever even consider marriage again. What's the appropriate amount of time to be divorced before getting remarried? I'm guessing there's no right answer to that, and like the rest of our relationship, we'll do things our way anyway.

I push those thoughts to the back burner for now, intent on just enjoying the night with my girl. I'm taking her to Port Angeles for dinner to celebrate.

Bella calls out to me from her bedroom as I'm in her bathroom trimming my beard down to the stubble that she loves. "Babe, when you're done in there, can you get my red heels from the top of my closet? I think they're on the far right side."

"Sure," I respond. "I'll get them in a minute." I don't know why she insists on keeping her shoe boxes on the top shelf when she can't reach them. This is not the first time I've had to retrieve shoes for her.

I finish in the bathroom and clean up all the little hairs around the sink, stowing my beard trimmer under the sink. I still marvel at how much of my stuff has slowly merged into Bella's room and bathroom. It wasn't planned, but we tend to shower together a lot so it made sense when my trimmers and other toiletries ended up staying in here.

Bella's closet is in the hallway between her bedroom and the bathroom, so I stop on my way to get her shoes. I've already learned that each box needs to be put back facing out in order to see the shoe description and easily locate what she's looking for. I shake my head at the number of shoe boxes lining the shelf.

Looking in the far right corner, I see two boxes that say "red" on them, each picturing a different type of shoe. I reach up to grab the one farthest to the right, assuming that's the one she indicated. As the box moves forward when I start pulling it down, the contents shift and I hear rattling inside. It doesn't feel like a pair of shoes.

"Sweetheart, I don't think this is what you're looking for," I call out as I pull the box down.

"No, wait! Don't …" I hear her yell, but I've already opened the lid and I freeze when I see what's inside.

I look up to see her standing at the end of the hallway with wide eyes and a red face.

My cheeks turn up in a smirk. "Well, well, well … somebody's been holding out on me," I taunt, my eyes devouring the contents of the shoe box.

"Oh, god," she sighs in resignation. "It's been a long time since I needed any of that. I forgot that box was there."

"You may not have _needed_ any of it, but I certainly think we can have fun with it," I say, holding up a small vibrator. I drop that back into the box and then pick up a purple dildo, turning it in my hand to examine it before replacing it and fingering through the remaining items. "Oh, yes. We'll definitely be using _this_ shoe box later."

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**A/N: I hope everyone is happy that Jasper is finally out of the picture! Let me know what you thought of the chapter. I am loving your reviews for this story.**

**Don't forget that I post teasers and more on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) and Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic). The next chapter will post on Tuesday, with a teaser on Fictionators on Monday.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: If you're looking for plot, you might want to skip this chapter. Just a reminder that this story started out as an entry for the Taste of the Forbidden II contest, and well, yeah…**

**If you aren't following me on Facebook or Twitter, you missed the fun yesterday. I posted snippets of this chapter throughout the day.**

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**Chapter 19**

_"Oh, yes. We'll definitely be using this shoe box later."_

Dinner in Port Angeles is a lighthearted affair. Bella and I celebrate with a bottle of wine and some delicious dinner. We try not to go too overboard, since I still have to drive us home and we both have to work in the morning, but we do take advantage of the relaxing atmosphere.

"Open, baby," I say, lifting a fork full of decadent chocolate cake to her mouth.

She closes her mouth around the tines and accepts the shared desert, humming her appreciation as I remove the fork.

"You've got a little chocolate on your mouth," I tell her as I lean in and kiss it off.

Her eyes bore into mine with apparent lust as I pull back, intent on feeding her another bite.

"My turn," she demands, taking the fork from my hand and cutting off a rather large piece. I gladly accept the offered food, but she pulls the fork upwards as she takes it out of my mouth. "Oh, you've got some icing …" she says with a playful pout before moving forward and licking my upper lip.

I catch her with my hand on the back of her head before she can move away, pulling her closer for an intense kiss. Our tongues twine together and the taste of Bella mixed with chocolate drives me wild.

"Mmm," I hum. "One of these days, I'm going to eat chocolate off your naked body." I watch her shift in her seat, clearly as aroused as I am. "But tonight, I have plans for that shoe box of yours."

"Shit," she says before biting her lip.

"You ready to go?"

As soon as she nods, I take her hand and lead her outside, having already paid the bill.

The car ride is quiet and the air is filled with sexual tension. I watch Bella shift in her seat a few times from the corner of my eye before deciding to have a little fun with her.

My hand starts on the bare skin of her lower thigh, past where the hem of her dress ends. I rub gentle circles on the inside of her leg with my fingers. Her legs drop apart slightly to accommodate my hand and her head drops back against the headrest.

Ever so slowly, I inch my hand up, taking her dress with me.

"I love the feel of your hands on me," she whispers, as if she's afraid to break the atmosphere in the car with her regular voice.

"And I love the feel of your skin under my fingers," I tell her just as quietly while my fingers continue to move up.

When I eventually reach her center, I find that the satin of her underwear is soaked. Her legs have spread quite far, and I know she's dying for me to put her out of her misery. I rub her center lightly through her panties, but don't give her enough pressure to make a difference.

After a few minutes of this torture, I hear her whimper and then a small "please" slips through her lips.

"Please, what?" I ask, playing dumb to what I know she wants.

"More," she moans out as her hips try to shift against my hand.

I lighten up my touch and tell her, "Oh, you'll get more. This is just the appetizer, baby."

When I slide my fingers under the edge of her underwear and touch her wet lips, she whimpers again. Although I'm now touching her flesh, I avoid her clit and only rub the rest of her lightly. I want her seriously worked up when we get home, and we only have a few minutes left in the car.

"Edward," she whines as she continues to try to shift and get my fingers where she wants them.

"Not yet," I tell her gently as I push the heel of my hand against her pelvic bone so she stills. My fingers also still and she quickly understands that I'll stop everything if she keeps moving.

"Fuck!" she screams, as one finger lightly grazes her bundle of nerves. "Please," she begs again.

"Patience," I tell her as I withdraw my hand so I can properly pull the car into my parking space. "We're home."

When she turns to look at me, her eyes are hooded and glassy, and I know she's about ready to explode. Perfect.

We race into the apartment and straight to her bedroom. "I need you now," she states in a husky voice, pushing my jacket off my shoulders and going straight for my pants.

I push on her shoulders and turn her around, unzipping her dress while I plant kisses on her shoulder and neck. "I told you, I have plans for tonight, sweetheart."

I finish undressing her quickly and tell her to get comfortable on the bed, which she does with no complaint. I remove my clothes, but instead of joining her on the bed, I head into her closet. It doesn't take long to find what I wanted—a soft, blue scarf.

I return to the side of the bed and instruct her to put her hands above her head in a husky voice. She complies immediately, and her eyes widen as I move toward her with the scarf. Leaning over her body, I tie her hands together and then to the rail of the headboard. "Just say the word and I'll stop, okay?" I whisper in her ear. When she nods, I continue. "But, I plan to give you plenty of pleasure tonight."

She whimpers at my words and I kiss her thoroughly, my hands exploring her body at the same time. My fingers pull on her taut nipples before caressing her sides, moving down to her hips as my mouth begins to descend down her body as well.

I suck a nipple into my mouth and then blow on it, enjoying her moans of pleasure before giving the other side the same treatment. Stepping away from her momentarily, I reach into the "box of pleasure" as I've begun to call it, and pull out the bullet vibrator and a bottle of lube.

I hold the vibrator up in front of her and ask, "Is this one of your favorites?" At her nod, I continue. "Perfect. I have a feeling I'll like it, too." A smile spreads across my face while Bella bites her lip.

I turn it on the lowest setting and just feel it in my hand for a moment. A glance at Bella tells me that she's getting needy with anticipation, so I put her out of her misery. I hold it up to her clit and she treats me to a long moan, her hips squirming to get more pressure.

"More, please," she begs.

"You'll get more," I promise. "But first, I need a taste." I move the vibrator away and dive in with my tongue and lips, rubbing, sucking and licking her clit.

"Oh, god!" She moves her hips again, but I pull back.

"Be a good girl and stay still for me. I promised you pleasure, didn't I?"

She whimpers again and nods, biting her lip, so I go back to work. After a minute or so, I bring the still buzzing vibrator to her opening and slip it inside. Her body practically jumps off the bed and she starts chanting, "Ohgodohgodohgod!"

I let her enjoy this for a bit while I grab the bottle of lube and work some over my fingers. I turn the vibe up a notch as one finger begins rubbing her back entrance, gently pressing forward until it slips inside.

Her chanting has turned into a continuous moan, so I figure it's time to put her out of her misery. I turn the vibe to the highest setting at the same time as I add a second finger and use my tongue more forcefully. It doesn't take long before I'm rewarded with her cries of pleasure and the beautiful sight of her falling apart.

I let her come down gently, kissing my way over her body to make my way back up to her lips. She sighs into my mouth and I kiss her slowly but deeply.

"Are you going to let me take care of you now?" she mumbles against my lips.

I shake my head, dragging my lips across hers in the process. "I'm not done with you yet, sweetheart."

She shivers at my words and I see her arms try to move, most likely itching to touch me. Instead of freeing her, I go back to using my mouth to worship her body, making sure I stop at all of her favorite places; behind her ear, her navel, across her hips and behind her knees. I even spend some time massaging her feet while running my lips over her legs, to keep her body relaxed and sated.

With the box of pleasure now next to me, I reach inside and take out a small dildo. No need for the large ones tonight, since I plan on pleasuring Bella with my own version soon. Moving my mouth back up to her neck and covering her body with my own, I run the toy through her folds, letting her get a feel for what's in store next.

"Do you want me to stop and untie you?" I ask quietly, making sure she's still comfortable with what I'm doing.

"No," she breathes out.

A smug smile covers my face and I continue rubbing her with the toy. When she's moaning again, I slip it inside, gently at first but building up speed and pressure. I move myself between her parted legs, angling the dildo to ensure it hits her g-spot on each thrust and placing my free hand flat on her pelvis.

She cries out when the thrusts become harder, and I continue the rapid pace. This is something I've read about and always wanted to try, so I eagerly watch her face and body for signs of her impending orgasm. I see her tensing up and her cries become louder.

"Let it go, baby," I urge, and she does. She squirts as she screams out my name. I kiss her lower body as she recovers from the intense orgasm.

"Holy shit," she says on a panted breath.

"That was beautiful," I tell her and then kiss her lips.

My cock is hard as steel, but I give her a few minutes to catch her breath, knowing that my pleasure is coming soon. When she's recovered enough to kiss me back, I quietly ask, "Are you up for one more?"

She gives me a bright smile. "Yeah."

I flip her body over and move her up so she can rest comfortably on her forearms and knees. "Okay?" I ask.

"Yes."

As soon as I roll on a condom, I position myself behind her and kiss my way down her spine, running my hands gently over her backside. Without much teasing, I enter her from behind and we both gasp. Her walls are still quivering around me, and I can only hope I'll last long enough to bring her to orgasm one more time.

With slow, deep thrusts, I begin moving in and out of her, listening to her moans of pleasure. I pick up the tiny vibe, still wet with her arousal, and gently slip it in her back entrance. I don't think she realizes what it is until she feels both of my hands running up and down her body. When my speed starts picking up, I turn the vibe on and we both groan. I can feel the vibrations from inside.

"Oh, god," she mumbles, and I feel her pushing back against me, meeting each of my thrusts.

We get faster and faster and I do my best to hold back, wanting her to cum first. I turn the vibe up to the highest setting and feel her explode around me. Only two thrusts later, I release with an intense orgasm, screaming her name and collapsing over her body.

After gently removing the vibe and myself, I make quick work of the scarf and clean everything up. When I return from the bathroom, I pull her body close to me under the covers, massaging her arms and shoulders.

We're both quiet for some time. "You okay?" I whisper.

She looks up at me with bright eyes and a smile. "Definitely okay." She laughs. "I really didn't think I'd be using those toys again."

"Mmm," I hum. "There's always room for toys."

"Yeah," she sighs. "But you're still my favorite."

I chuckle and pull her closer, kissing her forehead before we both drift off to sleep.

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**A/N: So, in case you were wondering, that's what 2,100 words of smut looks like. I promise there will be some plot in the next chapter. Leave a review and let me know what you thought.**

**Come play on Facebook (Kitchmill Fanfic) or Twitter (at kitchmillfanfic). Teasers will be posted on Fic Central on Wednesday night.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

As soon as Bella's divorce is finalized, time seems to start flying by. Spring is a nice mix of routine and fun, where we get together with Emmett and Rose several times. They have been inseparable since the night they met, and I couldn't be happier for my long-time friend.

I get to know Rose better and find that she's quite the ball-buster, but a perfect complement to Emmett's crassness. Somehow, she finds a way to keep him mostly in line. And the most surprising detail is that he appears to enjoy it. I appreciate the fact that neither of them even remotely care about Rose being seven years older than Emmett.

Bella and I also spend more time with my dad and Esme, who finally warms up to our relationship after realizing that it's not going to end any time soon. This is how we find ourselves out to dinner with them on my birthday in June.

"How's work been?" Dad asks me once we've placed our orders.

"It's going really well," I remark. "I actually just had my annual performance review with my boss the other day, and he said he's working on a promotion for me. If all goes well and he can get the owner's approval, I'll move up from Assistant Underwriter to Underwriter soon."

"That's great, Edward," Esme chimes in. "I'm sure you're pleased with that."

"Definitely." I feel Bella squeeze my hand under the table. "It'll mean more face to face interactions with the clients, so I won't be stuck behind a desk all day."

"And, more money, too, I'm sure," Dad adds.

"I'm sure it'll come with a pay raise, but we haven't talked specifics yet. Hopefully sometime next week."

Conversation moves on to other topics while we eat, including Bella's part-time summer position. She'll be teaching two classes of summer school for advanced kids whose parents want to further their education. Since her regular position became permanent, I don't think she needs the money, but she told me she didn't want to sit around and feel useless during the summer.

As dinner goes on, I find my eyes drawn to my father and his wife. Like Bella and I, they're constantly touching or sharing loving glances. I know how happy they've been together, and I can only hope that someday, I'll have the same happiness in a marriage—preferably with Bella.

My eyes drift over to Bella and I see a smile gracing her face. My own grin grows as I realize that her smile is there more often than not these days. I know cutting all ties with Jasper and having the divorce finalized lifted a weight off her shoulders, but I can't help wondering if I have anything to do with how much she smiles now.

After dinner, Bella and I head home to finish packing. She surprised me with a weekend getaway for my birthday, so we're heading out in the morning to a cabin on the water. I don't know much about the place, other than I will have her all to myself with no interruptions.

I drive while Bella directs me throughout the two hour journey to the resort. When we arrive, I see "resort" is a loose term. Although there are some activities that you can take part in, the place isn't much more than a collection of cabins housing the guests and a main lodge.

Bella checks us in since she made the reservation, and the clerk tells us about boat rentals, fishing expeditions and the like. Bella nods and thanks him politely but doesn't sign us up for anything at the moment.

As we walk back to the car to drive to our cabin, she asks, "Would you be disappointed if we don't do any of that stuff?"

I chuckle and put my arm around her shoulder, pulling her to a stop and turning her to face me. "I'm happy to just spend the entire weekend with you, uninterrupted." I wiggle my eyebrows at her and she smiles back cheekily.

"Perfect." She gives me a quick kiss before taking off toward the car.

It only takes a few minutes to find our cabin, so Bella heads to the door to unlock it while I get our bags. I'm quite surprised when I step inside. Although small, the cabin is well appointed. It's essentially one large room, although I see a door that is likely a bathroom toward the back. To the left of the entrance is a fireplace, with a cozy looking couch and two chairs surrounding it.

On our right is a kitchenette with a simple table and chairs for the eating area. In the back of the room against the far wall stands a king size bed, decorated with lots of fancy pillows and a canopy. There are nightstands on either side of the bed as well as a small wardrobe against a wall.

A large window spans the wall between the sleeping area and the sitting area, providing a perfect view of the water. There's a small, rocky beach area at the water's edge and I notice a couple walking by. There are also several boats out in the distance.

"What do you think?" Bella asks once I've put down our bags.

"It's great." I pull her close and kiss her gently.

She steps back and smirks at me. "Wait, this is supposed to be the best part." She takes my hand and drags me toward the door in the back, opening it and stepping inside.

My eyes widen at what can only be called another room. Although technically a bathroom, the dimensions rival the living space. There are the standard two sinks and a toilet, but that's where the similarities to a regular hotel room end.

On one side of the room is what appears to be a large Jacuzzi tub, probably big enough to fit six people. The back of the room houses a glass enclosed shower, but again, it's large enough to be its own room. There are two benches inside the tiled shower and enough nozzles to hit you from every angle.

"This is why I booked the place," Bella says.

I turn back to her still gaping. "This is fantastic! When can we get in that tub?" I'm not really kidding. When I see her smile widen, I jump into action. "I'll get the water started!"

"I'll go get my bathing suit," she says, and I grab her arm to stop her.

"Who said anything about bathing suits?"

"Mmm," she hums after I kiss her thoroughly. "You might be on to something. Besides, it _is_ your birthday."

I'm giddy as I turn and start the water, letting it reach the right temperature before pushing down the stopper. When I face her again, I see she's put her hair in a bun, gotten towels out and is now starting to unbutton her shirt.

"Let me," I implore, taking over where she left off. Her hands grip my waist as I finish with the buttons and then move my mouth to love on her neck and shoulder once her top has slipped down a bit. She releases me long enough to let it fall to the floor before untucking my shirt and pulling it over my head.

My hands explore her beautiful torso for a moment before grasping the clasp of her bra and releasing it. She pulls our bodies together tightly and we kiss again, tongues touching gently and retreating as I swallow her moans.

I turn her around and sit her on the edge of the tub so I can remove her shoes and pants, but my mouth keeps constant contact with some part of her body. I'll never get enough of the way her skin tastes, sweet and salty and pure Bella. She lifts her hips to help me remove her jeans and underwear. As soon as she's free of them, she stands and opens my jeans. I quickly kick my sneakers off, and then allow her to remove my pants and boxer briefs. She uses flat palms to push everything down, rubbing her hands all the way down my body in the process.

Taking her hand, I help her into the tub and then climb in behind her once I've flipped the switch to turn on the jets. Although the tub is huge, we remain stuck together as if we were in our own small tub back home.

"This is nice," she sighs.

"Yes, it is," I agree. I rub my hands up and down her ribs, enjoying the feel of her wet skin under my fingers.

I also take advantage of her hair being up by placing open mouth kisses all over her neck. She hums her appreciation and I feel her hands gripping my legs as they surround her.

I move my hands to cup her breasts, rolling her pert nipples between my fingers until they are stiff peaks. In response, her fingernails drag up my thighs causing my legs to squeeze her tighter. My mouth continues its journey up and down her neck, pausing to swirl my tongue around the spot behind her ear that drives her wild.

Eventually, one hand trails lightly down her torso while the other crosses to her far breast, still massaging it but also holding her body to me. My fingers dip down to her center, finding the slippery evidence of her arousal.

"Ung," she moans as I gently slide two inside. I feel her attempting to turn around, but my arm holds her in position as I lazily thrust my fingers while my thumb rubs her clit. Her moans grow louder as her hips begin moving against my hand. "Oh, Edward," she calls out softly.

I give a little bite to the crook of her neck and she bucks wildly, setting off her orgasm. Her walls flutter around my fingers as her body shakes and she cries out her pleasure.

"I love to watch you cum," I declare quietly once she's come back to earth.

She hums again as her body goes limp against mine. Wrapping both my arms around her, we relax in silence for a while.

My mind wanders back to the night before, watching my father and his wife and their affection for each other. It causes me to think about marriage … and Bella. I have yet to broach the topic with her, but it's something I want to talk about before we go down the road of trying to have a baby.

Of course, I know I'd be fine if she wasn't interested in marriage at all, having been turned off of it by her first marriage. Having a child out of wedlock these days is certainly not a big deal. I recognize that it's only been a few months since the divorce was finalized, so even if she's not opposed to the idea, she may not be ready for it for some time.

But, like all other things in this relationship, the key will be discussing it … together.

I'm not afraid to tell her where I stand; I'd marry her tomorrow if she was interested. However, I won't know what she wants unless I ask.

"Can I ask you something?" I request, breaking the peaceful silence.

"Of course," she responds, turning slightly in my arms to face me and shifting her body across my legs.

I'm glad for the closeness. I think it makes these types of conversations easier.

"How do you feel about marriage?"

* * *

**A/N: Another serious discussion is up next!**

**Links to a teaser for Tuesday's chapter will be posted on Monday on Facebook and Twitter. Or, you can go directly to Fictionators to find the teaser.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

_"How do you feel about marriage?"_

Bella's brow furrows momentarily before she speaks. "What do you mean? How do I feel about it in general, or how do I feel about it personally?"

"Both, I guess," I tell her with a shrug.

She chews on her lip before answering my question with a question. "What brought this on?"

I take a deep breath and let it out. "A couple of things, I think." She moves off my lap but doesn't go far. "Do you want to get out of the water?" I ask, realizing that we're starting to prune.

She laughs lightly and nods. "Yeah, we probably should."

I stand up and grab a towel, handing it to her once she's standing. I dry myself off somewhat with the other towel before stepping out of the tub to finish the job. Once Bella gets out, she empties the tub and turns off the jets.

We leave the bathroom with our towels wrapped around our bodies, but remove them and slip under the covers of the luxury bed together. I pull her back into my arms as soon as we're lying down. I don't know what it is about the two of us, but our most important conversations seem to take place in bed … many of them while we're naked.

I start talking again, since I brought up the topic. "I guess it's just something I've been thinking about lately, and I realized that I had no idea how you felt about it. We haven't talked about the timing of trying to have a baby in a while, but it's definitely been on my mind. It's been a few months since your shot wore off, and I didn't know when you'd be ready.

"But that got me thinking about marriage. Not that we have to be married or anything. I just want to know where you stand on it." I realize I'm close to babbling so I decide to shut up for now.

"Wow," Bella starts. "I didn't realize you were thinking about that."

"Well, that's why I'm bringing it up," I say, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head.

She sighs before speaking. "I guess to answer your original question, I'm not opposed to marriage. I mean, yeah … I don't have the greatest opinion of the institution right now, but I still believe in it."

"But, you're not ready to jump right back in to it," I finish for her.

A frown appears on her beautiful face. "No, I'm probably not ready to jump back into it yet. But that doesn't mean that I won't ever be ready to trust in it again."

"Okay," I say, tightening my grip on her body. "That's all I really needed to know." At least I know where I stand now.

She surprises me with her responding question. "How about you? How do you feel about it?" I watch her expression for a moment as she bites her lip before continuing. "I mean, if that's something that you want, I don't want to be holding you back," she adds nervously.

I chuckle a little at her comment. "Bella, the only person I'd be interested in marrying is you, but I don't need a piece of paper for us to know that we're committed to each other."

I can feel the relief seep out of her as her shoulders sag, so I continue. "There are plenty of happy couples out there these days … with children … who aren't married. I don't see anything wrong with that. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be married to you some day, but honestly I just wanted to know how you felt about it."

She gives me a small smile. "Okay."

With a deep breath, I ask the next burning question. "So, do you know when you want to start trying to get pregnant?"

She smirks up at me. "Anxious, are we, Mr. Cullen?"

I laugh loudly. "Not necessarily. Just curious."

Her hands begin to roam my back, scratching lightly at my skin and causing a wonderful shiver to flow through my body. "Well, my doctor suggesting waiting until I've had three regular cycles, and I've only had two so far." Yes, I remember them well since she was extremely crampy with the first one and had no interest in being intimate during either cycle. "So, I guess we have a little more waiting to do."

"Okay." I kiss her lightly.

"Are you really okay with doing this so soon?"

"I told you that I'm committed to you, Bella. And I meant it. There's no one else that I'd rather be with, and honestly, the thought of creating a little person that's part you and part me … I really can't think of anything more wonderful than that."

Her eyes close and she smiles. "Yeah, that does sound pretty wonderful."

"Maybe we should get to practicing," I growl lowly as my hand roams down to her thigh.

I attack her neck with my lips and she squeals, but it turns into a moan as my fingers reach her center. "Yeah … practice," she says breathily.

As planned, we spend most of my birthday weekend in the cabin—in bed, or in the tub or in that fuckawesome shower. We do take a long walk along the shore and make it to the lodge for dinner, but end up ordering breakfast in our cabin the following morning. Most of our time is spent "practicing," because practice makes perfect!

At home, we spend many of our evenings on the balcony, enjoying dinner in the warmth of summer. Bella cooks amazing meals for us, and even goes back to packing leftovers for me for lunch since she has more free time. I constantly tell her that she doesn't need to do that—although I show her plenty of appreciation for it—but she insists that she enjoys taking care of me.

I don't argue.

One night in early July, we find ourselves curled up on the lounge chair, cuddling and looking at the stars. My fingers are gently running through Bella's hair when she interrupts the silence.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" My eyes drift down to her, finding her looking up at me instead of the sky.

"I know when we moved in here, we both still needed our own space," she says softly. "But I was thinking … will you move in with me?"

My brow furrows as I contemplate her words. "We already live together and share a bed every night," I puzzle out loud.

"I know." She sighs. "I just … I don't know … want it to be more official?" she says as more of a question.

"Do you mean you want me to move all of my stuff into your room?" My cheeks begin to lift at the thought.

"Yes," she says definitively. "I want you to move your stuff into _our_ room."

My smile could light up the night. I kiss her gently and suck her lush bottom lip into my mouth. "Consider it done," I say quietly, feeling her smile against my mouth.

Eventually, I go inside to clean up from our dinner and Bella runs off to _our_ room. I load the dishwasher and hand wash a few items, leaving them in the drying rack to dry. Leftovers are stored in Bella-approved containers and the counters are wiped down. Once I'm satisfied that everything is as it should be, I head to the bedroom to find my girl.

"Bella?" I call out, wondering what she's been doing for the last half hour.

"In here," I hear her shout, though the sound is muffled.

I find her practically buried in a mound of clothes in her closet. The place looks like chaos, which is completely unlike her.

"What are you doing?"

"Making some room for you," she says with a shrug of her shoulder. She's sitting on the floor, attempting to fold some of the clothes that she's pulled off the hangers.

I chuckle at her exuberance. "Well, in that case …" I trail off, turning on my heel and heading for what used to be my room. I head into my closet and grab the first armful of clothes that I see, hurrying back and quickly placing the hangers in the empty space she's made. "There. Now it's 'ours.'"

She smiles up at me and I can't resist. Plopping down next to her and the pile of unfolded clothes, I thread my fingers through her hair and pull her face to me, meeting her in the middle for a searing kiss. She hums her agreement.

Before we can get too caught up, she breaks the kiss. "I wasn't sure how much room you'd need. I was thinking I could put my winter stuff in the closet in the other bedroom."

"Honestly, baby … I don't need much space. Just the fact that you asked, that you want this, is enough for me." I smile at her and peck her lips chastely. "Now, how about I help you clean up some of this mess?"

With a deep sigh, she says, "Yes, please."

We get to work folding the clothes and piling them up while my mind wanders through logistics. "You know," I start. "My armoire will probably fit against the far wall. I know it doesn't match, but this way you won't have to move too much of your stuff for me."

Looking into the bedroom, she eyes it up. "That'll work."

"Good," I tell her, standing up with an armful of folded clothes. I plop them on top of her dresser and walk back to where she's sitting. "Because right now, I'd like to make love to my girlfriend instead of moving things."

Her eyes sparkle as she looks up at me. "I think that can be arranged."

We move over to the bed and fall on it, laughing and making out like horny teenagers. Hands roam and clothes fly until we're skin to skin and tangled up together. Lying on our sides facing each other, I kiss her passionately. Our tongues touch and retreat, moving in synch with one another.

I pull back and admire Bella for a moment; her flawless skin, the curve of her nose, the fullness of her lips. When her eyes flutter open and meet mine, I whisper to her. "I love you."

The corners of her mouth turn upward, and happiness shines in her eyes. "I love you, too. So much," she tells me.

We make love slowly, enjoying every movement, every sound and every caress. I continue whispering words of adoration to her while our bodies are joined together. Our combined climax sends fireworks throughout my body, piercing my soul. I know I will love this woman forever.

Eventually sated and happy, we climb under the covers together with our fingers entwined. I'm about to drift off when I feel Bella pull away.

"I'm just going to the bathroom," she says quietly. "Go back to sleep."

I hum lazily, immediately missing her warmth, but drifting off into dreamland.

In my semi-conscious state, I feel her creep back into bed, resuming her earlier position. My arms encircle her without any thought and I pull her close.

"Edward," my foggy mind hears her say quietly. I hum with my eyes still closed. "My period just started."

Even half asleep, I register her comment. A smile takes over my face and my lips search out hers, finding them quickly. "We're gonna make a baby," I say, still smiling and squeezing her tighter.

* * *

**A/N: *ducks for cover from stones being thrown at my head* I know many of you want them to get married right away. Patience, please! I promise that it will all work out, so stick with me and let me know what you thought of the chapter.**

**I'll apologize in advance if I don't get to every review reply this week. You know I love each and every one, and love replying, but this will be a busy week for me with end of the year school activities, plus writing 2 stories and working as a beta. I'm trying to stick to posting twice a week, which means my review reply time may be cut down in favor of writing time.**

**I am also participating in the Fandom For Oklahoma cause, donating my services as a beta. There are lots of wonderful authors who are writing for the cause. Please check out the website and make a donation. oklahoma . fandomcause . info/**

**Teasers and more on Facebook and Twitter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

_"We're gonna make a baby," I say, still smiling and squeezing her tighter._

The month of July keeps us busy with hikes, picnics and lazy days spent together. We also spend a weekend helping Emmett move into Rose's townhouse. I am amazed to see the change in my best friend, who went from serial dater to committed relationship in the blink of an eye. But, it's easy to see that Rose has him wrapped around her little finger. They are good for each other, and I'm happy for them.

It's also nice that Bella has such a close girlfriend, and that the four of us can hang out together and have a good time.

With my promotion now fully in effect, I start saving some extra money in preparation for whenever Bella and I are successful in our baby-making attempts. We haven't told anyone that we're trying, figuring it will be better to not have to hear anyone else's opinion on the subject. Obviously, we expect Esme to take issue with this, and we hope that she'll be a lot more accepting if we just announce that Bella's pregnant when the time comes.

Bella explains to me that she thinks Esme will be extra sensitive to the issue, sharing something about my step-mother that I never knew. I was aware that Esme was married before my dad, but had no idea that she had a baby—a son—who only lived a few days. Without going into specifics, Bella tells me that there were complications at birth for both mother and baby, leaving Esme without the ability to carry another child.

Learning that about my step-mother is a shock to me, and I have to trust that she'll love and cherish our baby and not resent it.

Bella doesn't want to chart her cycles or anything like that yet, preferring to just go with the flow for now instead of stressing about it. So, we continue with our usual activities, and there's definitely no shortage of baby-making attempts.

Unfortunately, Bella's cycle starts right on schedule at the beginning of August. I have to admit that I was also getting excited about the prospect, but I try to be realistic, knowing that it can take several months in the best of circumstances. I can see the disappointment in her eyes and do my best to comfort her.

"Are you okay?" I ask, knowing the answer but wanting her to talk to me about it.

"Yeah," she says unconvincingly. "I know it's stupid to be upset about this. I shouldn't have even gotten my hopes up."

"Hey," I say, putting my arm around her shoulder and pulling her close while we walk along the trail behind our apartment. "It's alright to be upset about it. We know it's not likely to happen quickly, but that doesn't mean you're not allowed to feel what you feel."

She sniffles while looking down at the ground. "I know."

I kiss the top of her head, which is leaning on my shoulder. "Does it help to know that I'm upset about it, too?"

She looks up at me with wide, red eyes. "You are?"

"Of course I am." I stop walking and turn her to face me, keeping my hands on her shoulders. "I want this, too, Bella. I'm just trying my best to not let it consume me, and I'll continue to enjoy being with you no matter what." I shrug.

"Thank you," she says, hugging my waist and laying her head on my chest. "That does help."

August passes in much the same fashion, with the exception that Bella has started preparing her classroom for the new school year. She's excited that this year the classroom will officially be hers, and is doing everything she can to make it feel like home.

One morning at the end of the month, I roll over in bed and find her spot cold and empty at an ungodly hour. With my eyes half open, I look toward the bedroom door and see the light of the TV flickering in the living room.

I throw on some underwear and stumble toward the door, intent on finding out why she's out of bed so early. In my sleep-hazy state, I stub my toe on the door frame and end up in a wobbly hop most of the way into the living room.

My heart breaks into a thousand pieces when I finally spot Bella curled up on the couch with a wad of used tissues in front of her on the coffee table, the pain in my toe immediately forgotten for the one in my chest. I make my way over to her and sit down, lifting her head and placing it on my lap. I run my fingers through her hair and she turns into me, her arms winding around my waist, holding me tight. I don't have to ask her what the problem is.

She sniffles and buries her face in my stomach while I shush her, telling her that everything will work out and that I love her.

She finally speaks with a shaky voice. "I don't know why I keep getting my hopes up." Her fingers dig into my back as if she doesn't want to ever let go.

"I wish there was a way I could take the pain away, Angel," I tell her quietly. "You should have woken me up. You don't have to go through this alone."

"I know." She sniffles again. "I just feel silly for getting so worked up over it. It's only been two months."

I pull her body up so she's cuddled on my lap. "I don't know much about female hormones, but I'd venture to guess that they play a big part in being so emotional."

She chuckles through her sniffles, and I'm glad to see I'm at least able to make her smile a bit. "You're probably right. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few days."

"It's okay, Bella. You're allowed to feel like this. And you definitely don't have to hide it from me." I kiss her forehead. "How about we get back in bed and I can hold you close in there."

She smiles up at me and nods, so I turn off the TV and carry her to our room, where I hold onto her tightly for the rest of the morning.

September starts with Bella going back to work full time and our daily lives continue as they had been before. My thoughts occasionally drift back to the conversation that Bella and I had about marriage, about how she may be ready at some point. I make a decision, determined that I will wait for her but that I will also be ready whenever she is.

With that thought in mind, Emmett and I take a trip to Seattle one Saturday. He's always been my wingman, so when I decide to go ring shopping, he's my obvious choice for support.

It doesn't take long for me to second guess my decision—not my decision to marry Bella when she's ready, but my decision to bring Emmett with me.

"How about this one?" he asks for the thousandth time. We're only in the first store, and he's determined that each ring is _the ring_.

"Em, man, I need something that's Bella's style. Not just the biggest rock I can find," I say with a huff.

"Well, how the heck do you know what that is?"

I shake my head at him. "I don't know, but I have a feeling I'll know it when I see it."

We continue browsing for a bit before determining that it's time to move on to another store. The second store is just as much a bust as the first one, and I can tell that Emmett is getting annoyed with me.

"I guess I just don't know anything about ring shopping," he says dejectedly while we take a break for lunch.

"I don't know anything, either," I tell him. "But, everything I look at feels like something's missing. I don't know how to explain it, other than you'll know what I mean when you're looking."

"Well, what do we have to compare to?" he asks as the waiter clears our plates. "I mean, what was her ring from Jasper like? Maybe you can just go with the exact opposite of that." We both laugh.

"I think it was a pretty big stone, so going with the opposite is a good idea. She's so dainty. She needs something that will look right on her hand. But, I want it to have meaning, too."

"Okay, so, on the smaller side. I can work with that." He thinks for a moment before his next question. "What does Esme's ring look like? I'm sure your dad knew what he was doing when he bought hers."

"Esme's ring has a lot of stones," I start, before my mind goes off in another direction. Thoughts of my dad buying a ring lead me back to the idea of it having meaning. I want it to mean something, not just for Bella, but for me, too.

"I see the wheels spinning, Edward. What are you thinking?"

A smile creeps up on my face. I can't believe I didn't think of this before. "I'm thinking we're not going to find it in Seattle."

"What?" he asks, perplexed.

"My dad gave me a lot of my mom's jewelry a few years ago. He told me he wanted me to have it for when I had someone special to give it to, even if I saved it for my future kids."

"What does that have to do with buying a ring for Bella?"

I shake my head at him. Sometimes he really is thick. "I'm going to give her my mother's engagement ring."

"Oh!" he exclaims. "Do you think she'll like that?"

I can picture the ring clearly in my head. "Yeah, I think she'll love it. It's simple, but elegant. And most importantly, it has meaning. The fact that it means something to me will make it mean even more to her."

"Well, then that's settled. This was a complete waste of time." Leave it to Emmett to not hold back his true feelings.

"Maybe not. There's one more store I want to go to. I still need to get a birthday present for Bella."

Bella's birthday present is much easier to pick out, and Emmett even ends up finding something for Rose. All in all, the trip is worthwhile.

He drops me off at home and I know I only have about a half hour before Bella gets back. She spent the day with Rose, so I imagine as soon as Emmett walks through the door she'll be on her way home. Not wasting any time, I go into the closet in the spare bedroom and immediately open the fireproof safe that's on the floor.

The safe is mostly empty, only holding the few boxes of my mother's jewelry, our copy of the lease and our renters' insurance policy, and one box of Bella's that she asked me to put away for her. I quickly locate the ring and open the box, finding it more beautiful than I remembered.

It's a raised solitaire, weighing just over one carat, set in platinum with channel set diamonds in the band. The ring doesn't have a scratch on it, but I look it over contemplating whether I'll need to get it sized.

I grab the back of my neck, trying to figure out how I'll be able to get Bella's ring size without her knowing. Just as I'm about to give up and close the safe, I notice the box that Bella put in there. I pull it out quickly, hoping I have enough time before she gets home, and open it to find exactly what I need. Inside the box sits her engagement and wedding rings from Jasper.

First, I hold up the two engagement rings together, eyeballing to see if there is a difference in size. They appear to be about the same. Then, I slide her old engagement ring onto my pinkie, making note of exactly how far I can push it down.

When I take that ring off, I slide my mother's ring on the same finger. It moves to the exact same spot and stops.

A perfect fit. I knew this ring was meant for her.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please leave a review to let me know what you thought of it.**

**I posted a pic tease of the ring on my Twitter and Facebook profiles yesterday. Make sure you follow/friend me if you want to see stuff like that in the future.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

A few days before Bella's birthday, she tells me that she doesn't want to make a big deal out of it this year. I'm a little disappointed because I feel that the day she was born is definitely a day to celebrate, but I promise to respect her wishes.

To keep it low key, we decide to just go out to the bar for dinner and drinks with Emmett and Rose. We have a good time with them every time we get together, and Bella's birthday is no different. Emmett is as boisterous as always, keeping us entertained. I notice that Rose is wearing the necklace Em bought in Seattle. Clearly, he couldn't wait for a special occasion to give it to her like he said he would. But that's just Emmett.

When the night winds down, Bella and I make our way home and lounge in the living room together. She's cuddled into my side in her usual position on the couch.

"Can I give you your birthday present now?" I ask while the TV plays some chick flick that I'm not paying any attention to.

"I told you that you didn't have to get me anything," she says, pulling herself up to sit.

I shrug. "I had already bought it, and I want to give it to you."

She rolls her eyes but agrees, so I run into the spare bedroom and retrieve the gift.

"Edward," she admonishes, taking in the signature blue bag with a smirk on her lips.

"Stop it," I say, sitting down next to her and placing the bag in her lap. "It's something I wanted to get for you, so just quit your complaining."

With a huff, she starts digging in the bag, taking out the tissue paper and then finding the slim, square box. She opens the box and her eyes go wide as she looks over the charm bracelet. "Wow, it's beautiful," she says quietly.

"An apple for the teacher," I say, pointing to the first charm. "And, a book for our love of literature that brought us together. I figure I can always add to it later." I don't tell her that I already have my eye on a few other charms, with hope for the future.

"I love it." She throws her arms around me, hugging me tight. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, and happy birthday." I kiss her head and breathe in her delicious scent. "There's something else, but it's not really a birthday present," I tell her nervously.

She pulls back and looks at me. "Oh?"

I rub the back of my neck, looking for the words I have thought about saying to her for a while. Letting out a breath, I start talking, hoping what I'm about to say won't put too much pressure on her. "It's more of a promise." I pause, trying to make sure I get this right. "A few months ago, we talked about marriage, and I understand that you're not ready … and that you might never be ready. I want you to know that's okay. I honestly would be fine if we don't ever get married.

"But, I also wanted you to know that I'd be ready if you ever are. I love you so much, Bella." I cup her cheek and look straight into her soulful eyes. "I want nothing more than to spend my life with you, making you happy the way you make me happy. So, instead of proposing to you, I'm telling you that I'm committed to you one hundred percent, and if you ever say the word, I'll be down on my knee before you can blink."

She lets out a little chuckle even though her eyes are watery. "Thank you. I don't know how you do it, but somehow you always know exactly what I need. Thank you for loving me and understanding me."

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," I state before pulling her close and kissing her passionately.

Eventually, we make our way into the bedroom and start pulling off each others' clothes. I take my time, worshipping her body the way she deserves with kisses and gentle caresses for as long as I can before she tells me she wants me.

We lay on our sides facing each other and Bella throws her leg over my hip. I drag my erection through her slick folds momentarily before positioning myself at her entrance.

With one hand on her hip and the other tangled in the back of her hair, I look deep into her eyes. "I love you," I tell her as I push inside slowly.

Her eyes close momentarily in pleasure. When she opens them, there are tears gathering. I still our bodies when I'm fully buried inside of her. "Hey, no tears, Angel."

"They're happy tears," she tells me with a smile. "I never thought I'd love someone as much as I love you, or feel this much love in return."

"Get used to it, because it's not going to stop," I promise as I start moving in and out of her slowly.

She continues to gaze into my eyes while our bodies come together, but after a few minutes, her hand moves from my hip to my ass. She stills me when we're completely joined.

I look at her, trying to figure out if something is wrong, when she finally speaks.

"Marry me."

My eyes go wide, sure I misheard her.

"What?"

"Marry me," she repeats simply. "You're it for me. This feels more right than anything else ever did. I want this … I want us, forever."

My smile is so huge it feels like it could break my face. "Yes," I breathe out. And then I kiss her.

We make love slowly, enjoying each other and savoring every moment. I feel like I'm floating on a cloud and I never want to come off it as we lay sated in each others' arms.

My fingers entwine with Bella's and I bring her hand up to kiss her knuckles when I realize there's one more thing I have to do. I jump up and get out of bed, startling Bella in the process.

"What are you doing?" she asks as I find my underwear and put it on.

"Put something on," I tell her, tossing my T-shirt at her. I don't wait for her response before I leave the room. I'm back in a flash, having grabbed what I needed from its hiding spot in the linen closet.

She finishes pulling my shirt on, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at me with confusion as I rush back into the room. "What—" she starts, but I cut her off by holding up my hand.

Her eyes widen as I drop to one knee in front of her.

"I told you I'd be ready whenever you were," I say quietly, taking her left hand in my right. "Isabella Swan, I have loved you from afar for as long as I've known you. But the last nine months have been the best of my life since you've allowed me to love you properly. And, knowing that you love me too has made me happier than I ever thought possible.

"I want to share my life with you, loving you every day and supporting you through good times and bad. I want to have a family with you and grow old together. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she gasps out, choking back a sob although the tears are already streaming down her cheeks. "Yes, yes, yes!" She drops down off the side of the bed, onto the floor in front of me and clings to me, hugging me tight.

I now know what she meant by happy tears earlier, as I feel them start to sting my eyes. "I love you," I say just before she kisses me. "Do you want to see your ring?" I mumble against her lips.

She laughs and pulls back to look at me. "You weren't kidding when you said you were ready."

"No, I wasn't kidding," I say seriously but with a smile. I sit down on the floor before we both fall over, and she follows, half on my lap.

I hold the ring box up between us and open it. She gasps when she sees the ring inside. "Edward, it's stunning."

"Do you really like it?"

"Absolutely. It's perfect."

"It was my mother's," I tell her softly as I pull it from the box. "But I want you to have it. Since family has always been so important to both of us, I thought maybe we could start a tradition and pass it down to our daughter or granddaughter some day."

I slide it on her left ring finger as she wipes more tears away with her right hand. "Just when I thought I couldn't love you more …" she laughs out.

As expected, we get mixed reactions to news of our engagement. Emmett and Rose are extremely happy for us, inviting us over the next weekend for a celebration. We get drunk with them and have a blast while eating take-out Chinese food. Emmett, in all his infinite wisdom, lets it be known that Rose won't have to wait too long for her turn at engagement. She just shakes her head at him and laughs, knowing this is just part of his personality.

On the other hand, my dad and Esme are quietly contemplative when we tell them that we're getting married. Understandably, Esme asks Bella if she's sure that this is what she wants. Bella emphatically replies that she's completely certain. They are accepting and supportive, although I can still see the questions swirling around their minds. Only time will prove to them that we are in this for the long haul, so I try not to let it bother me.

Bella, however, seems to take her sister's reluctance a little harder. In early October, I come home from the market on a Saturday afternoon and find her staring at the TV with tears in her eyes.

"Everything okay, babe?" I ask nonchalantly, figuring she's watching some sappy movie or TV show. She just nods as I move through the living room and deposit the grocery bags in the kitchen, starting to unload them.

It's not until I have everything put away and walk back into the living room that I realize she's not crying over the TV. _Friends_ is on, and I know there's nothing sad about that show.

"What's going on?" I ask as I sit next to her on the couch.

"Hmm?" She turns to look at me as if she didn't even realize I was there.

"Why are you crying?"

She sighs and drops her head onto the back of the couch. "I just got off the phone with Esme."

"Oh," I say, immediately understanding. "What did she say?"

"Nothing specific, but I just know she's still not thrilled. I don't know, I must just be hormonal or something."

I pull her close and hug her. "Is your period coming?" I ask quietly, getting used to the routine now.

She shrugs. "Probably. It's still not totally regular so it's hard to tell."

I hum my understanding. She returns my hug for a minute before sitting up quickly.

"What's today's date?" she asks with her brow furrowed.

"October seventh. Why?"

She rolls her bottom lip in her teeth for a moment before responding.

"I'm late."

* * *

**A/N: A lot going on in this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Don't forget that teasers and other stuff will be posted on Facebook and Twitter.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

_"I'm late."_

"You're late?" I repeat dumbly.

"Yeah, I think so," Bella says, nodding at me with wide eyes. "I mean … I'm not entirely sure since I haven't been regular, but so far my cycles haven't been longer than thirty-two days."

"So, you're late?" I say again, apparently incapable of saying anything else.

"I don't know. Maybe it's just stress, or the excitement of our engagement."

"Bella, shit …" I look around the apartment frantically, trying to remember where I left my car keys. I spot them on the table near the stairs—where I always leave them—and get up to grab them.

"Where are you going?" she asks nervously.

"To get you a test!" I exclaim. "You need to take a test. What kind do I get? I don't know the first thing about pregnancy tests."

"Edward," she says with a smile, stopping my nervous movements and babbling before I can get out of control. "Calm down."

I nod and let out a breath. "Okay."

"I have some tests that I bought a few months ago. Let me just go check them out."

"Okay," I say again, back to repeating myself. I follow her through the apartment and perch myself on the side of our bed while Bella rummages through the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom.

"Here they are," she says triumphantly, holding up three different boxes. She comes out of the bathroom and sits down next to me.

"So, what do we do?"

"Well, I'm assuming I have to pee on one of them, but give me a minute to figure out which one to use."

"Okay," I agree. My heart is pounding furiously in my chest. This could be it, the moment we've been waiting for.

I watch as Bella scans the three boxes for a minute. "This one seems to detect pregnancy the earliest. Since I don't know for sure if I'm late or just irregular, I think I should start with this one."

"Okay." I really am an eloquent fucker today. She stands to go back into the bathroom, but I pull her back before she can get too far. I kiss her quickly. "I love you," I mumble against her lips. "No matter what."

She smiles at me. "I love you, too."

She walks back into the bathroom and shuts the door while I sit on the bed and bite my thumb nail. Only about a minute passes before she calls out for me.

"Yeah?" I answer, jumping up and rushing to the bathroom door.

"I need a favor," she huffs. "Can you come in here?"

I open the door and find her sitting on the closed toilet lid with the contents of the box spread out on the counter. "What's wrong?"

She laughs to herself. "My hands are shaking. I'm afraid I'll drop the damn thing in the toilet. Can you find me a cup or something?"

"I'll be right back." I quickly run to the kitchen and start pulling open cabinets, eventually finding a small, plastic cup that looks like it was a salad dressing take-out container. "How's this?" I ask when I reach the bathroom again.

"That'll work."

I look at her again and realize that she's really nervous. "Do you want me to stay?"

She laughs again but looks at me with pleading eyes, nodding her head. "Is that really weird? Do you mind staying with me?"

I chuckle a little, too. "I don't mind as long as you don't mind me in here." We pretty much have adopted an open-door pee policy, but we don't specifically set out to be in the bathroom when the other person is going.

Bella gets to work and I peruse the instructions that are laid out on the counter, still biting my nail. When she finishes doing her business, she sets the cup on the counter and we both just look at it like it's going to do something on its own.

"What now?" I finally ask.

"The instructions say to hold it in the stream for five seconds, so I guess I should just dip it for five seconds?" she asks more than states.

"Sounds good," I agree with a nod.

She dips the test and caps it, setting it down on a piece of toilet paper. "Three minutes," she states.

"Okay. So, what should we be looking for in three minutes?" I ask, looking over the instructions again.

"Two pink lines means pregnant and one line means not pregnant," she rattles off as she starts to wash her hands.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the test although I'm trying to ignore it. I totally fail, and instead watch as the window appears to get saturated, like the liquid is soaking up through the stick. I gulp as the liquid continues to move and one line appears in the area that's already wet. About ten seconds later, the liquid has completed its journey through the window.

"Bella," I choke out, my voice cracking. "You mean two pink lines, like this?" I point to the stick, where two thick lines show prominently, looking like an equal sign.

She turns around still holding the towel she was using to dry her hands and gasps. Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open.

"Breathe, baby," I say quietly, putting my hands on her shoulders.

All the air rushes out of her. "We're having a baby!"

I pick her up and swing her around, as much as the small space will allow. "We're having a baby," I mumble into her neck, feeling a stinging in my eyes. "Fuck! I love you … so much!"

"I love you too, Edward." I can hear the tears in her voice, but at least I know this time, we're both crying happy tears.

I finally put her down and start kissing her, so excited about this development that it takes my mind a minute to register when she pulls away from me.

"What's the matter?"

"What if the test is wrong?" she asks with worry in her eyes.

"Can they be wrong?" I'm confused.

"I don't know," she says, shrugging her shoulders. "But what if it is? I don't want to get my hopes up and then go to the doctor and find out that we were wrong."

She's biting her lip, looking like she's ready to cry sad tears again.

"Wait! You have two more tests," I conclude. "And a cup full of pee! We can take the other tests and see if we get the same result."

Her eyes brighten. "You're a genius!"

"Eh, not really." I shrug. I'd just do anything to comfort her right about now. Plus, I really want to know and now she has me doubting the damn pee-stick.

"Okay," she says, ripping into box number two. "This one says 'hold for ten seconds and results should appear within four minutes.' Here, you dip it."

I take the stick from her and dip it into the cup, counting to ten in my head. Bella rips off a piece of toilet paper to set it on, and I place it on the counter.

"All right, what are we looking for on this one?" I ask.

"Um …" She looks back to the instructions again. "A plus sign for positive and a minus sign for negative. Makes sense." She shrugs. "Oh, but it'll be blue on this one."

"Geez, why can't they all just be the same?"

"I have no idea," she sighs. "Guess they just like to keep us on our toes, because waiting for a pregnancy test isn't nerve wracking enough."

Bella's still looking at the instructions when I glance back at the newest test stick. I'm not patient enough to wait the full four minutes before checking it out. Heck, it probably hasn't even been two minutes yet.

A smile creeps onto my face. "Okay, that's two out of two," I say, waving my hand in the direction of the blue plus sign that has already appeared. "Should we go for the trifecta?"

She laughs. "We may as well!" She rips into the last box and pulls out the contents. "This one couldn't be any easier. 'Hold for five seconds and results will appear digitally within three minutes,'" she reads off.

"Would you like to do the honor?" I ask, moving out of the way so she can reach the cup.

"Sure." She steps over and dips the stick, placing it on the toilet paper next to the last one. Reading from the instructions again she says, "It'll either say 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant' and beep when it's done."

The words are barely out of her mouth before a beep sounds.

"You look," I tell her, nudging her in the shoulder.

She turns to face the now crowded counter and lets out a breath. "Three out of three."

I look over her shoulder to see "pregnant" clearly displayed on the digital screen. "I think that's what they call 'irrefutable evidence,'" I tell her.

"Yeah," she says, smiling widely. "I can't argue with three tests."

"We're gonna have a baby," I say quietly, pulling her close and hugging her tight.

Her arms wrap around me and squeeze as she lets out a sob. I hold her a little tighter and kiss her head. "Happy tears, I promise," she says through the sobs.

"I know, Angel. Mine are, too."

Once we've finished celebrating the news, we talk about what comes next. The first thing we decide is that we're not going to tell anyone for a while. Bella's worried about complications because of her age, although I assure her she's perfectly healthy and takes good care of herself so she shouldn't worry. Regardless, she plans to call her doctor first thing Monday morning.

"You'll let me know when your appointment is," I make her promise. "I want to go with you."

She agrees and snuggles into my side on the couch.

Out of nowhere, she says, "We should get married soon."

I sit up and look at her, confusion clear on my face. "How soon?"

"I don't know … a few weeks? It shouldn't take long to plan." She sits up more and shrugs.

"You don't want a big wedding?" I ask.

"No. Do you?" Before I can answer, she's already apologizing. "Oh, gosh! I didn't even think that you might want something big. I'm so sorry, Edward!"

I cut her off with my hand over her mouth, laughing. "I don't want a big wedding, Bella. I thought _you_ would want a big wedding," I say, removing my hand. "I'm a guy. As long as you show up, I'm happy."

She laughs and hugs me, sighing in relief. "I'm glad to hear that. I've done the big wedding, and frankly, it wasn't worth it. I was thinking that all we really need is our family and closest friends."

"That works for me. It can just be a family affair."

* * *

**A/N: This is one of my favorite chapters so far. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**Teasers and more on Facebook and Twitter. Links in my profile.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Bella and I easily agree that a no-frills wedding suits both of us. Neither of us has much extended family that we would invite, so an intimate ceremony followed by a nice dinner is what we decide on.

The guest list is simple: Esme, my dad, Emmett and Rosalie.

Breaking out a calendar, we decide on Friday, November eighth for our wedding, which is only four weeks away. Instead of a traditional honeymoon—mostly because Bella's pregnant and won't be able to enjoy any drinking on a true vacation—we plan to find a nice hotel to spend the long weekend at. The following Monday is Veteran's Day, so we won't even miss any work.

My father's close friend, Benjamin, is a County Judge, and I plan to ask him to perform the ceremony for us. There are some nice restaurants in Port Angeles that we'll check out in the coming weeks. We hope to find a place that has a private room where we can hold the ceremony first and then have dinner.

No bridesmaids or ushers, DJ's or caterers to worry about. Just the love of my life and our closest friends and family.

On Monday morning, Bella texts me as soon as she gets off the phone with her doctor.

_"First appt. Thurs 3:00 – xB"_

_"I'll be there. Can you take off earlier? – xE"_ I quickly respond.

_"Probably, why?"_

_"Courthouse is only open until 4:30, but we can get marriage license before appt."_ Yeah, I already looked into it.

_"Works for me!"_

_"Can also check out restaurants after if you want."_

_"For a groom, you're really on top of things."_

_"I love you and can't wait to marry you. *shrug*"_

_"I love you, too."_

Thursday arrives quicker than I expected, and we leave for Port Angeles around one o'clock. It takes about ten minutes and fifty-eight dollars to be legally ready to get married. If it weren't for the three day waiting period, I might have asked if a judge was available right then.

We stop at a coffee shop for a snack before Bella's appointment. I can tell she's nervous, so I do my best to soothe her.

"Don't worry, baby. It's just a check-up and I'm sure everything will be fine."

"I know. I just can't help the nerves."

I hug her close as we sit on a couch together. Kissing the top of her head, I try to take her mind off of the appointment. "Any idea what restaurants you want to check out later?"

Talking about the wedding does seem to help her relax a little, and before I know it, we're heading to the doctor's office.

Bella checks in and we both take seats in the waiting room. There are a few other women waiting, but since the office has multiple doctors, I hope we won't be waiting too long. She flips through a magazine while I handle some work emails from my phone.

"Isabella Swan?" a nurse calls about ten minutes later.

Bella closes the magazine and throws it on the table with a little more force than necessary. I grab her hand to help her calm down as we follow the nurse into the back.

The nurse introduces herself to us as Siobhan, weighs Bella and then asks her to pee in a cup. She explains that this will be the standard procedure for every appointment for the duration of her pregnancy.

After that is taken care of, we're led into an examination room and Siobhan takes Bella's blood pressure. She requests that Bella undress from the waist down, explaining that Dr. Newton will perform an ultrasound to date the pregnancy.

The nurse leaves while Bella undresses and places the sheet over her lap on the table. I sit next to her, holding her hand for support—hers and mine.

A few minutes later, the nurse returns with a man who introduces himself to me as Dr. Michael Newton. He gets right down to business once pleasantries are over.

"Okay, Bella, first things first. Your urine test did confirm that you're pregnant, so that's definitely good news."

Bella smiles and laughs lightly. "I took three tests on Saturday and they all turned positive quickly, so we were pretty sure of that fact."

He nods. "Like we discussed before, we'll follow you a little closer than other pregnant women just because of your age. I don't mean to alarm you, because there's nothing in your health history to indicate any problems, but it's standard procedure once a woman turns thirty-five. Frankly, it's a fairly arbitrary number, however I feel that it's better safe than sorry."

Bella and I both nod, accepting his explanation before he continues.

"There are a few extra tests that we'll run, and you'll likely have more ultrasounds than most women, starting with today. Since you said your cycles weren't exactly regular yet, today's ultrasound will help us date the pregnancy and allow us to follow the fetus' growth."

The first thing he does is draw some blood, telling us that he will check hormone levels to make sure everything is in line. The nurse takes the vials once he's finished and leaves the room momentarily.

He then turns to the ultrasound machine and presses a few buttons before putting a condom-like guard on something that strangely resembles a dildo. After loading the wand up with clear gel, he inserts it inside of Bella.

A few more clicks of the keyboard and the room fills with a strange sound. It's kind of like a fast whoosh of water or something. Dr. Newton turns a monitor toward us and Bella's grip on my hand tightens.

"This, right here," he says, pointing to a blob with something flashing in the center. "Is your baby." I feel my own hand tightening around Bella's. "The flickering is its heart beating, and the sound you hear is the heartbeat."

I am utterly amazed, and I can feel the tears stinging my eyes. Bella smiles at me with her own tear-filled look. Leaning over, I kiss her quickly. "That's our baby," I mumble against her lips. She nods and smiles harder.

I hear Dr. Newton clicking away on the keyboard. "I'm just taking some measurements but we'll be done in a minute."

My eyes stay glued to the screen for as long as our baby appears on it. When the doctor finishes, he hands me some pictures of the baby, and I continue to stare at them while Bella sits up on the table.

"Okay, Bella. Based on the measurements, you are currently six weeks, two days pregnant, which actually tracks perfectly with the date of your last period. Your due date is June sixth, and I would venture to guess that you conceived somewhere around September thirteenth."

My ears perk up at this news. I look over at Bella and her smile is now as wide as mine. Yeah, we both realize that we conceived this child on her birthday, the night we got engaged. If that's not meant to be, then I don't know what is.

The doctor goes over some additional information about foods to avoid, what Bella can and can't do and gives her a prescription for prenatal vitamins. Once she's dressed, we make our way to the front desk and schedule our next appointment for four weeks from now.

Yes, I plan to be at every appointment I can with her.

We head out onto the streets of Port Angeles, thankful that the night is clear and not raining even though it's slightly chilly. The October air is actually refreshing after an emotional hour spent in the doctor's office.

We walk to the first restaurant because it's only a few blocks from where we're parked. Unfortunately, a quick conversation with the hostess has us backtracking to the car. They don't have any private rooms, so it's a no-go.

The drive to the second restaurant is only minutes long. I know I've been here before, but it's been a long time so I take in the atmosphere as we step out of the car. Even from the outside, the place appears intimate and fancy, with candles glowing in the windows of the stone structure.

Inside proves to be a direct extension of the outside. There are soft candles burning on every table, dark colors creating a serene atmosphere and multiple stone fireplaces throughout the large room.

A hostess dressed classically in a white blouse and long black skirt greets us. Bella softly explains what we're looking for, and with a smile, the hostess offers to have a manager show us their private rooms.

Minutes later, we are greeted by a gentleman who introduces himself as Franck, complete with an accent and mannerisms that remind me of Martin Short's character from _Father of the Bride_.

"Let me show you our private dining rooms and then you dine with us tonight, yes?" he states or asks, I'm not quite sure which.

We agree and follow him to the left of the hostess stand and through a door that leads into a hallway. Franck opens another door and we enter a private room. It's nice, but not what we're looking for.

Bella must be on the same wavelength as she speaks up. "This is beautiful, but I think it's a little too large for us. We're actually only planning to have six people, including us, so we were hoping for something a little more intimate."

"Ah," Franck says with a nod. "We have perfect room for you!" He claps his hands, bouncing in place before leading the way further down the hall.

As soon as he turns on the soft lighting in the small room, I know that we've found the right place. We step inside and see a few tables set for two spread throughout the room, but I can easily see them pushed together on one side of the room to accommodate our group. Sconces that look like real candles are spread at even intervals along the walls, casting a subtle glow on the space. At the far end of the room stands another fireplace with a stone hearth, a perfect backdrop for us to exchange our vows.

Bella stands in the middle of the room and spins around slowly with a smile on her face. When her eyes meet mine, I am sure that we agree. My own smile mirrors hers and I nod.

"It's perfect," my future wife exclaims.

"You have dinner here now, on house," Franck demands. "I go get server while you relax." He departs the room rapidly, clearly on a mission.

I walk over to Bella and wrap her in my arms. "I can't wait to marry you here," I tell her in a whisper. Dropping down to my knees, I lift her shirt slightly and place a kiss on her still flat belly, which is something I've taken to doing frequently since those positive pregnancy tests on Saturday. "Your mommy and I are going to make us a family soon," I say to our child. "I love you … and your mommy."

I drop her shirt and hug her waist with a sigh, turning my head to the side and resting it against the baby growing inside of her—the baby made from our love.

* * *

**A/N: I think my ovaries just exploded.**

**I can't say it enough, but your awesome reviews mean the world to me. I love every one of them. Fanfiction was a fail over the weekend, so if I didn't respond to your review, it's because it didn't go through. Hopefully we won't have that problem again!**

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	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

After securing the venue for our wedding and enjoying their delicious food, Bella and I make one last stop for the evening. We walk into a jewelry store, hoping to find wedding bands.

We browse for a few minutes before a saleswoman approaches, offering to show us whatever we're interested in.

"Do you see anything you like, baby?" I ask Bella.

She wrinkles her nose a bit. "I'm not sure."

The saleswoman, Judy takes one look at Bella's engagement ring and pulls out some wedding bands with matching channel set diamonds. Bella is quick to shake her head at those. "I'd actually rather have something that matches what you get," she says to me.

After huffing under her breath at not making a sale on diamonds, Judy replaces the first tray with another that has men's and women's versions of the same rings. Bella and I both look them over, and I honestly can say that nothing jumps out at me. I don't currently wear any jewelry, so I don't really have a preference, other than something to symbolize our love and union.

"What's this say?" Bella asks Judy, pointing to a ring that has some Hebrew lettering on it.

"Oh, that's actually one of my favorites," Judy tells us. "In Hebrew, it says _'Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li'_ which means 'I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.'"

I watch Bella's face light up. "I love it." She turns to me asking, "What do you think?"

"I think the sentiment is absolutely perfect." I put my arms around her from behind and lean my chin on her shoulder to look closer at the rings. They are thick bands that appear to be white gold, with a thin strip on the top and bottom and the raised Hebrew lettering in the middle. "What would you do about your engagement ring?" I ask her. "I don't think you can fit both on one finger."

"I can just wear it on my right hand," she says, shrugging.

Judy hands a ring to each of us to try on and Bella moves her engagement ring to her right hand. I slip the ring on my finger. "Hmm, that doesn't feel as weird as I expected," I muse. "I thought it would feel heavy and uncomfortable."

"Wow," Bella marvels at the same thing as she admires the women's version on her finger.

"Now, these actual rings can't be sized because of the lettering, but we make our own jewelry here so we'd just make them for you in the right size. That also means we can make them from whatever metal you choose."

"What do you think?" Bella asks, turning to me.

"I love it," I say confidently.

Judy sizes us both and we order the rings in white gold. She tells us that they shouldn't take more than a few days, but she'll call us when they're ready.

We drive home that night with a marriage license, a place to get married, wedding bands ordered and our first photo of our baby. All in all, I'd say it's been a good day.

Bella had been exhausted for about a week before we found out she was pregnant, and it's hitting her even harder now. A few days after her appointment with Dr. Newton, the morning sickness kicks in.

Actually, Bella will tell you that the term "morning sickness" is a misnomer. For her, it happens all day.

We're sitting on the couch watching a movie and I literally watch the color drain from her face before she bolts for the bathroom. I hear the toilet flush and then her brushing her teeth. She comes back and snuggles up with me as if nothing happened.

"I wish there was something I could do, babe," I tell her sympathetically while rubbing her back. She shrugs and waves me off.

"Would it be weird if I said I didn't mind it?" she asks.

"Um, yeah," I say with a chuckle. "Why don't you mind it?"

With another shrug she tells me, "I guess I just feel like the pregnancy symptoms are proof that there's something going on in there." She puts her hand over her abdomen. "Without it, I'd probably be worried that something was wrong."

"I can understand that." I pull her closer and kiss her temple, resting my hand on top of hers on her stomach.

"Maybe you can just take my mind off of it for a little while." She has a sly smirk on her face.

"Oh, really?" I ask, pushing her back and hovering over her. "And what exactly did you have in mind?"

"A little of this," she says, pulling on my shirt until our lips meet.

"Mmm," I hum. "I think that can be arranged." With that, I kiss her deeply and drop my weight onto her body. She welcomes me with her tongue exploring my mouth and her hands roaming my body.

I work my way down her neck, licking, kissing and sucking just the way she likes. Her moans of appreciation spur me on. I whip her shirt off and toss it on the floor while my mouth descends to the valley between her breasts, humming as I gently squeeze her slightly larger mounds in each hand.

Bella's fingers tangle in my hair, scraping her nails along my scalp and pulling softly, and turning me on even more. I continue making my way down her body. My hands glide over her ribs and settle on her waist momentarily before I move them to the button of her jeans.

Just as I'm about to pop the button open, Bella stiffens and yells out, "Get up!"

I sit back on my haunches, completely startled and worried that I've hurt her. But, one look at her face lets me know it's nothing I've done. She runs back into the bathroom and throws up again.

She looks at me sheepishly when she returns. "Sorry," she says, hanging her head.

"Maybe that wasn't such a good idea right now anyway," I placate. "How about we try to get some food in you?"

"Okay."

"What do you want? I'll go get it."

Bella decides to just have some crackers and ginger ale, not wanting to risk a heavier meal on her delicate tummy. I bring it back from the kitchen and sit on the couch next to her while she nibbles.

Figuring I may as well make myself useful, I pick up one of the books from the coffee table and begin to find out what we should expect when we're expecting. Using the index, I try to find some tips on morning sickness that Bella hasn't tried yet, but there doesn't seem to be anything earth shattering in that book.

I plop it back down and pick up another book, which has something to do with girlfriendly advice. Skimming through that one, I actually find something useful.

"Hey, Bella. Did you read this part about constant eating?"

"Hmm?" she asks, looking up from the book that was in her lap. "I haven't gotten to that book yet. What does it say?"

"It says that keeping something constantly in your stomach helps to keep the nausea down. Seems counterproductive to me, but if the 'girlfriends' say it …" I say with a shrug and finger quotes on "girlfriends."

"I am feeling a little better right now, so maybe there's something to it." She puts the box of Wheat Thins on the table and leans back on the couch with her book.

Dropping my book, I lean over and rest my head in her lap. I lift her shirt and pop the button on her jeans, followed by the zipper. My fingers run lightly over her skin as I start talking. "Listen, little one. Mommy and Daddy love you, but I need you to take it easy on Mommy. She's giving you a nice, comfy home for the next several months, so maybe you could be good to her and let her keep some food down."

I feel Bella's fingers run through my hair and I look up at her. She's looking at me with a smile on her face.

"Well, if the crackers don't help, Daddy's little chat certainly will," she says before leaning down to kiss me softly.

"I just wanna make sure you're both okay." I shrug and sit up, resuming my perusal of _The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy_.

It's not that I don't think Bella will read the book on her own, but I have this overwhelming need to do whatever I can to help her. I love her and the baby more than anything else in this world, and I want to do everything I can to protect them.

In the end, I do find a few important pieces of information to help her. For one thing, I read that the pinching and pulling that she's been feeling are normal parts of the expansion of her uterus as well as the embryo burrowing in and making itself comfortable. I also find out that her sex drive is likely to increase in the second trimester. Not that our sex life is lacking anything at the moment—puking interruptions aside—but I'm a guy, so I look forward to any increase in her libido.

Turns out that the tip about keeping something in her stomach helps, and over the next few weeks Bella takes to carrying around a bag of Wheat Thins everywhere she goes.

As we get closer to the wedding, more and more things start falling into place. Bella has a successful shopping trip with Rose and manages to find a dress for our big day. I get in touch with Benjamin, who readily agrees to perform the ceremony for us. Our rings are finished and I pick them up, so excited about the prospect that I want to wear mine already. Bella insists that I wait until it's official, and I reluctantly agree.

We both attend her second appointment a few days before the wedding and we are blessed with hearing the baby's heartbeat through a Doppler. Dr. Newton assures us that everything looks good and that Bella's growth is on track.

To the outside world, she's not showing yet, but I am easily able to see the changes in her body when she's undressed. Her breasts are definitely fuller—a fact that has caused her to buy bras in the next size—and there is a little, bitty bump on her lower abdomen. When I put my hand on it, I can feel the firmness.

She's taken to wearing her looser clothing, saying that her normal pants feel very constrictive. Since she's always been very thin, it's easy to understand why this little bit would be noticeable to her. I kiss the area and talk to our baby every chance I get, loving how I now have something physical to put my hands on.

The day of the wedding arrives and I am a bundle of excitement. Even though it wasn't necessary, I end up taking the day off from work, knowing there is no way I'd be productive. But that leaves me with an empty apartment and nothing to do while Bella is busy getting ready with Rose and Esme.

In my head, I rehearse my vows repeatedly, making sure I won't mess up what I want to say to Bella. I gather the rings, marriage license, camera and other necessities to make sure I don't forget anything, loading it all in the car so it's ready to go.

The day passes slowly, but eventually it's time for me to get dressed. I put on my freshly pressed black suit, crisp white shirt, black tie and a pair of silver cuff links that Bella bought me for the occasion. Once I'm ready to go, I send a text to Emmett to let him know I'm on my way to pick him up. I don't care that it's early. I just want to get there.

I pull up in front of his house and honk, knowing I'm not allowed to go in. Rose will be driving Bella to the restaurant when the ladies are ready.

My heart speeds up when the door opens, hoping that I'll get a glimpse of Bella, but I have no such luck. Emmett swiftly walks out of the door and closes it behind him, hopping in the car with a big smile.

"Have you seen her?" I ask in lieu of a greeting.

"Yep," he says, smiling like the cat that ate the canary.

"Well?"

"Well what? You'll see her soon enough. You ready for this?"

"More than I ever thought possible."

* * *

**A/N: We have a wedding to go to next! I hope you're ready!**

**Some of those pregnancy tidbits were taken from real life. I should own stock in Wheat Thins for how many I ate throughout two pregnancies. And, **_**The Girlfriends' Guide**_** is really the best book out there.**

**Teasers and more on Facebook and Twitter. I posted a picture of the wedding rings, and Bella's dress will be posted sometime before the next chapter goes up.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Emmett and I arrive at the restaurant early and find Franck waiting at the hostess stand. He starts talking to me a mile a minute and I hear Emmett snickering under his breath at Franck's accent and mannerisms.

"Room all ready for you. I know you will love. Come see, come see!" Franck claps and starts walking.

I don't care about the guy's strange ways. He knows what he's doing and that's all that matters. Emmett and I follow him down the hall to the room where I will be getting married shortly.

When we step inside, I feel like we fall into a fairy tale. Since it's November, there is a fire that wasn't there last time crackling in the fireplace. Above the fireplace and hanging down the sides are beautiful white and purple flowers mixed with vibrant greenery, creating the feel of an altar instead of just a hearth.

The sconces on the walls are lit at a low level and a table set for six sits on the near side of the door. The same flowers that adorn the fireplace form a centerpiece on the table, with petals scattered throughout.

There are no chairs by the fireplace, which is exactly how we requested it to be. With only four guests and a short ceremony, we decided our guests could stand with us. This way, it will also be like they are standing for us since we don't have any bridesmaids or groomsmen.

"It's perfect, Franck. Thank you," I tell him sincerely. "Exactly what we wanted."

"I just knew you love," he responds, clearly happy that I'm happy. "I send in your server. You need drink!"

With that, he disappears.

"Wow, this place is great," Emmett tells me. "I don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't it! You guys did a great job."

"It was all Franck," I inform him. "We just picked the room and told him what we were looking for."

A server steps into the room through a panel in the wall that you wouldn't know was there unless you were looking for it. It leads directly to the kitchen, and keeps the traffic flow as unobtrusive as possible.

"Good evening, Mr. Cullen," Sally greets. She was our server when we ate here last time. "Welcome back to the Olympic Ristorante. We have your selection of champagne for dinner chilling, but can I get you a drink to start with?"

I order a scotch on the rocks to help relax me a bit and Emmett does the same.

Benjamin arrives while we're waiting for our drinks, dressed in a suit, and greets me with a friendly hug.

"Thanks so much for doing this, Benjamin. We really appreciate it." No matter how many times I offer to pay him, he insists that it's not necessary and he's happy to do this for us.

"I'm glad I could be here, Edward." He orders a drink when the waitress returns with Emmett's and mine, and we make small talk while we wait for everyone else to arrive. "You've got the marriage license and the rings, right?" he asks.

"Absolutely," I tell him. I pat my pocket that holds the rings before showing him the marriage license that's sitting on the table.

"Well then, we just need a bride and we'll be ready to go."

I smile when I think of my bride arriving.

The time passes quickly while we chat, and before I know it, Franck is escorting my father and Esme into the room.

Dad greets me with an extra long hug. "I'm really happy for you, Edward," he says quietly. "Even if I haven't always shown it, I can see you and Bella are happy together and that's all I want for you."

"Thanks, Dad. We are happy, and I know that she's it for me." The perma-grin on my face is testament to that.

"Well," he says, announcing to the room. "I'm pretty sure I saw Rose pulling up when we were walking in, so I think it's time to get this show on the road."

The butterflies in my stomach take flight, knowing Bella is moments away from walking through the door. There are no nerves or cold feet to be found—just pure excitement. I can't wait to be married to her.

Rose joins us, greeting me with a hug and Emmett with a kiss. I hear him tell her how beautiful she looks, and once again, I'm struck by how much my best friend has changed.

We quickly take places in front of the fireplace and Franck comes in to cue up some music. The door is closed, but I stare at it, willing it to open so I can see my bride. My hands are clasped in front of me as I try to prevent myself from fidgeting, while my heart is beating so rapidly I can hear it in my head.

Finally, the door opens, and all the air escapes my lungs when I catch my first view of Bella. She steps into the room with a wide smile matching my own. I don't know what I expected, but as usual, her beauty surpasses everything I ever dreamed of.

She is a vision in a long, simple white dress that gathers under her bust and flows like a dream down to the floor. Her hair is swept up off of her face with curls flowing down her back, and her radiance shines from every inch of her. She carries a small bouquet of flowers in her hand that match the ones in the room.

I nearly have to hold myself back from running across the room to her. She approaches slowly, and finally, _finally_ I am able to reach out and take her hand.

"You're perfect," I tell her quietly.

Her eyes on mine are already glassy when she mouths "I love you" to me and I return it in a whisper.

Benjamin starts the ceremony, though I don't hear much of what he says. It feels as if Bella and I are the only two in the room, and I can't take my eyes off of her.

I do hear him ask me to recite my vows. I have to clear my throat of the lump that has formed there before I can begin.

Still holding Bella's hand, I give it a small squeeze and take a deep breath. "Bella, having known you for the last seven years has been a privilege that I will never take for granted. When you walked back into my life eleven months ago, I thought the fates were conspiring against me, taunting me with something I could never have.

"As it turns out, fate did play a role in bringing you back into my life, but as a blessing, not a curse. We were destined to be together, in this time, in this place. We were exactly what one another needed, at exactly the time we needed someone.

"Your smile lights up my life, just as your intellect lights up my mind. Every day, I promise to love you more than the last. I will cherish you each day for eternity. I promise to be with you through joy and sorrow, and to share my life with you as my best friend, my partner and my lover."

A tear escapes Bella's eye as she listens to my words, but she doesn't bother to wipe it away.

Benjamin turns to her, asking for her vows.

She smiles at me before beginning. "Edward, you have been a steadfast and true friend through good times and bad, always knowing how to support me when I didn't even know what I needed. As our friendship blossomed into something more, you changed my life for the better, bringing me joy and laughter. Every day with you is better than the last, and I look forward to the years ahead of us.

"I promise to be by your side through good times and bad, to love you and to be your partner and lover for all the days of my life. I am yours, in body, mind and soul."

My joy at her words is so intense, I feel like it is rolling off my body in waves.

Benjamin asks me for the rings, and I reach into my pocket and hand them to him, listening carefully to his next words. "Wedding rings are an outward and visible symbol of an inward bond that unites two loyal hearts in endless love, sealing the vows that Edward and Isabella have made to each other. Their unbroken circle symbolizes never ending love when it is freely given. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have given to each other.

"Edward, place the ring on Isabella's finger and repeat after me."

With a shaky hand, I place the ring on Bella's finger and recite the words Benjamin has spoken. "I, Edward, give you, Isabella, this ring as a sign of my love and devotion for as long as we both shall live. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."

Benjamin turns to Bella and recites the same words.

Her tears are flowing freely as she places the ring on my finger. "I, Isabella, give you, Edward, this ring as a sign of my love and devotion for as long as we both shall live. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."

I squeeze her hand once more as I feel my own tears threatening to overflow.

Benjamin continues, "By the power vested in me by the State of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Edward, you may kiss your bride."

Relief washes over me as I realize that we are now officially united. I pull her close and dip down to kiss her deeply. She returns my kiss tenfold as our friends and family cheer for us. Both of us are smiling as I pull back to look at her.

"I love you, Mrs. Cullen."

Her smile is blinding as she returns my words. "I love you, Mr. Cullen."

We turn and accept congratulations from our guests with hugs and kisses all around. When I reach Esme, I see tears in her eyes. "You take care of her," she tells me quietly as she hugs me tightly.

"I promise, Esme. And thank you for supporting us."

"I love you, Edward. Just as much as I love her."

"I love you, too." I'm not sure my stepmother and I have ever exchanged those words before, but I mean them with all my heart.

We eventually sit down at the table once Benjamin quietly takes his leave. The champagne glasses have been filled, and Emmett lifts his in toast.

"Edward, Bella, your love for each other sets an example for the rest of us to follow. I wish you all the happiness in the world as you embark on this next journey together. To the happy couple!"

We all raise our glasses—Bella's filled with sparkling cider—and tap them together before taking a sip.

I turn to Bella and kiss her again. "Now?" I ask quietly. She nods and smiles, so I stand up with my glass raised again, taking Bella's hand as she sits next to me.

"First of all, I want to thank everyone for being here and supporting us. Your love means the world to us, and we're stronger for having you in our lives." I look at the smiling faces around the table. "Emmett's words have more meaning than he realizes, as our next journey will include more than just our union as husband and wife. It seems that we have been blessed with not only finding love and happiness in each other, but we are also blessed to be expecting our first child."

I see eyes go wide but smiles abound as everyone once again offers their congratulations. I look to Esme and find a watery smile as she gets up and makes her way around the table to hug Bella. By the time she reaches me, her tears are overflowing.

I'm nervous for her reaction, but she surprises me with another intense hug. "I'm so happy for you both. I will love this child with everything that I have."

"Thank you, Esme. That means the world to both of us."

* * *

**A/N: I wish we could have gotten to the honeymoon, but I had to cut things somewhere! I hope you enjoyed their wedding just as much as I enjoyed writing it. A picture of Bella's dress can be found on my Facebook profile, 'cause, you know, Edward's a guy and can't explain dresses for crap.**

**Just so you know, we're nearing the end of this journey. There are three more chapters plus an epilogue, and then this story will be complete.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

After enjoying a wonderful celebratory dinner with our guests, Bella and I anxiously get into my car where our bags are already waiting. We hit the road and head toward Seattle, where I have booked a suite at Hotel 1000 for our honeymoon.

I continually look at Bella as I drive, completely amazed that this woman is now my wife—and carrying my child.

A year ago, I was living a mediocre existence in a small town with slim relationship pickings and no possibility of connecting with the love of my life. Yet, she walked back into my life and turned everything upside down in no time at all.

She smiles a shyly as I glance at her once again. "I'm so happy, Edward," she says quietly.

My cheeks lift in a grin, because once again, we're completely on the same wavelength. "You took the words right out of my mouth." I lift our entwined hands and kiss hers gently.

Within two and a half hours, we are checked in and have reached our suite. I tip the bellhop and allow him to take our luggage into the room, but ask Bella to wait outside for a moment.

As soon as the bellhop leaves, I sweep her off her feet and carry her into our room. She laughs, but goes along with me, placing her arms around my neck and laying her head on my shoulder.

I skip right over the foyer and sitting room, taking her immediately into the bedroom and setting her on her feet without letting go of her body. "You are so beautiful," I tell her quietly before my lips meet hers.

Our kiss heats up as she opens her mouth to mine and whimpers. I move to place kisses along her jaw and neck while my hands explore her bare shoulders and back. She doesn't waste any time in getting my clothes off, starting with my suit jacket and moving right to the buttons of my shirt. Eager to feel our bodies connect, I help her out and am bare before her in no time.

"As much as I love this dress, I need it off of you now," I practically growl at her. She turns around and lifts her hair, allowing me to untie the straps around her neck before I lower the zipper. The dress pooling at her feet reveals a sexy, white corset and lacy thong. "Exquisite."

I help her step out of the dress and then pick it up, placing it on a nearby chair. When I turn back to her, my hands immediately run along her curves, drinking in every inch of her body, while my lips latch onto her neck. I feel her nails digging into my shoulders. As I work my way down her neck and across her collarbone, my hands find her full breasts, gently massaging the sensitive swells. I kiss down to the exposed tops before pulling the corset down to grant me better access.

While I lick and suck on her perfect tits, my fingers begin working on the lacing of the corset behind her back. One of her hands manages to get between us and she begins to stroke my swollen cock. I grunt into her breasts as my hips buck into her hand.

Once I have the corset free of her body, I move us over to the bed, lifting her petite form and placing it in the center. I grasp the sides of her thong and pull it down her legs, caressing them as I go. I remove her underwear but leave the shoes—because let's face it, her legs look sexy as fuck with heels on—and begin kissing my way back up.

"I need you, baby," she moans as I reach her inner thigh.

"Soon," I tell her, pushing her knees apart and spreading her lower lips with my fingers. "I need to taste you first."

I lick around her outer lips, enjoying the taste of her abundant arousal, while she moans and writhes, trying to get my mouth where she most wants it. Without preamble, I fully suck her clit into my mouth and give a gentle nip with my teeth.

"Fuck!" she yells out before begging. "More, please."

Two fingers enter her soaked core while I use my tongue on her most sensitive area. Her hips move against my hand and face. "I want you to cum for me, Angel," I tell her quietly, curling my fingers inside to rub the spot that drives her wild.

My tongue goes back to work and she moans again. "Harder," she squeaks out, and I comply.

It doesn't take long for her orgasm to wash over her, and I move back to kissing her legs while she comes down. I love giving her pleasure. To me, it's just as good as my own pleasure.

When she finally opens her eyes, she has a predatory look on her face. She springs up to her knees, causing me to sit back on my heels. Bella quickly straddles my lap and kisses me hard. I moan at the thought of her tasting herself, and enjoying it if her moans are any indication.

She grabs my erection and guides it to her center before sinking down and fully enveloping me in her heat.

I place my hands on either side of her face, fingers tangling in her hair, and speak softly. "I love you, Bella. You and our baby mean the world to me, and I'm so honored that you're my wife."

Gently, I pull her face to mine and kiss her passionately. Her body begins to rock over mine as we set a slow, steady rhythm of love. Her hands are in my hair, pulling and scraping, driving me wild. My hands skim down her neck and shoulders, over her ribs and eventually rest at her hips.

Our lips break free from each other as we attempt to catch our breath. "I love you so much, Edward," Bella tells me breathlessly. "I've never been happier than I am now."

The speed and intensity of our movements pick up as hands wander and our foreheads connect. Our eyes stay locked as we make love to one another, not just with our bodies, but with the connection of our souls.

When I begin to feel like I can't hold back much longer, I reach between us and rub my thumb over Bella's clit. She moans long and low, and the vibration rocks through my body.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful," I tell her, because it's true.

"Harder," she whimpers.

I pick up my thrusting from below and rub her more forcefully, biting my lip to keep myself from cumming. In a matter of moments, I feel her orgasm start, so I let myself go. We climax together with groans and some curses, and I hold my girl's spent body tightly in my arms.

We collapse on the bed, still tangled in each other and taking a few minutes to catch our breath. "Do you want to take a bath?" I ask her.

"Hmm, maybe tomorrow. Too tired," she says sleepily.

I push her hair off her face and kiss her softly. "Sleep, Mrs. Cullen."

She smiles with her eyes closed and her breathing evens out only seconds later. I take a moment for my nightly chat and scoot down a bit until I'm level with her belly.

"Hi there, little one," I say, placing my hand over the tiny bump and giving it a quick kiss. "It's Daddy again. I just wanted to let you know that we're all a family now. Not that we weren't before, but today Mommy and I made it official. We're going to give you the best life you could possibly have."

I kiss the bump again and lay my head down just above it, before drifting off into the most blissful sleep I've ever had.

We don't have anything planned for the few days we're in Seattle, other than enjoying the luxury of the hotel and each other. I have the best wakeup call in the world on the first full day of my married life; I wake up to find my dick in Bella's hot, wet mouth.

"Oh, God, baby," I groan out in my sleepy state. "So good."

Bella hums around my cock and continues bobbing her head over me. I tangle my fingers in her hair while I lay back and enjoy what she's offering. It doesn't take long before I'm shooting hot spurts down her throat.

When she crawls up my body and kisses me, I flip her over and return the favor.

We eventually make our way to the sitting room for the room service breakfast that we ordered, but we don't bother putting on clothes. Even the robes we're wearing are only necessary to answer the door.

The room phone ringing startles us, but I quickly answer it so I can get back to my wife as soon as possible.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen. This is Maggie from the concierge desk," a polite voice greets me. "I wanted to let you know that a couple's massage has been arranged for you at eleven a.m. today."

"We didn't request massages," I tell her, furrowing my brow and wondering how this mix up could have happened.

"No, sir. It was arranged for you by Mr. McCarty and Ms. Hale as a gift."

"Oh, wow. Okay, I guess we'll be down at the spa at eleven."

"Very good. I hope you're enjoying your stay."

"Thank you, Maggie. We're enjoying it very much," I say, winking at my wife. "Oh, wait! My wife is pregnant. Will they still be able to do a massage?"

"Congratulations, Mr. Cullen," she says cheerfully. "Yes, we have therapists who are trained in prenatal massage. If you arrive a few minutes early, you'll be able to discuss any specific needs with the therapist but I'll be sure to let them know now."

"Thank you very much."

"Have a good day, sir."

As soon as I hang up the phone, I turn to my wife who is sipping some tea. "Looks like Emmett and Rose arranged for a couple's massage for us."

Her eyes light up. "That sounds wonderful."

And it is. We thoroughly enjoy the side by side massages in the serene spa setting. A massage is never something I would have thought about for myself before, but I will be thanking Emmett and Rose for this indulgence.

We do get dressed up to treat ourselves to dinner in the hotel's upscale restaurant, but return to the room immediately after that, having no interest in the nightlife other than each other.

Bella looks radiant in a navy blue dress and another pair of sexy heels and teases me all throughout our meal with her foot on my calf and comments laced with sexual innuendo. It seems my little kitten is getting her energy back.

As soon as the door to our room closes behind us, I push her up against it and devour her mouth with my own. "Your teasing has been driving me insane, Mrs. Cullen."

"It's not teasing if you plan to follow through," she tells me as she reaches for my belt buckle and starts opening it.

My cock is already rock solid and weeping for her, so I decide that there will be no more waiting. I reach under her dress and pull her panties down, helping her step out of them. Standing up, I bunch the material of her dress up to her waist and lift her up, trapping her body between mine and the door, and plunging inside swiftly.

We fuck in a frenzy against the door until we both cum, shouting each others' names, and then fall into a heap on the floor. What a beautiful new life we've embarked upon together.

* * *

**A/N: There was some plot in that one, right? Whatever … I know you pervs love it when there's no plot anyway.**

**The countdown is on! Two more chapters plus an epilogue.**

**Teasers and more on Facebook and Twitter, as always!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Three days before Christmas, exactly one year since Bella walked back into my life, we find ourselves sitting in the hospital waiting room going out of our minds with worry.

Earlier in the day, Bella started feeling some cramps and tightness. At just over sixteen weeks gestation, it's way too early for contractions. All of the signs point to Braxton Hicks contractions, or "practice contractions," but Dr. Newton always tells us better safe than sorry, so I convince Bella to call him.

Once she describes the pain she's feeling, he concurs that it is most likely Braxton Hicks but wants her to go to the hospital to get checked out just in case.

Thankfully, Dr. Newton calls ahead and we don't have to wait long to be seen. Bella is taken back after only about ten minutes, and I follow with a tight grip on her hand.

"Okay, Mrs. Cullen," the nurse starts, and I smile like I always do when I hear someone call her that. "If you could just change into this gown, we'll get you hooked up to the fetal monitors and see what's going on."

The nurse leaves the room while Bella changes and I help her up onto the bed. Only a few minutes go by before the nurse returns with some equipment. She has Bella sit up while she puts some kind of elastic belt with a paddle attached around her waist, followed quickly by a second belt.

"These are monitors, so we can see what's going on inside your uterus," she explains. She flips a switch on the machine and moves one of the paddles around until the familiar sound of our baby's heartbeat fills the room. "That sounds like a nice, strong heartbeat." She smiles at us while she positions the other belt.

"This one will monitor any contractions. It will give us an idea of the intensity and frequency. I just need you to lay here and relax for a little bit, and a doctor will come in to check the readout once we have some data."

Bella gives a timid "okay" and I move the chair over next to the bed and sit, taking her hand in mine again.

We sit quietly, drawing comfort from each other's touch, for about fifteen minutes before a doctor enters the room.

"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. I'm Doctor Gerandy," he says, offering his hand which I shake quickly. "I've spoken to Doctor Newton and I understand you may be having some contractions that we need to check out."

"That's correct," Bella says softly.

Dr. Gerandy looks at the monitor and printout before speaking again. "Well, it does look like what you're feeling are contractions …" Bella and I both cringe but he continues on quickly. "But based on the intensity of them, I am pretty sure they are only Braxton Hicks contractions. Most people don't even feel them, but some feel them constantly. Just to be sure, I'm going to do an ultrasound to check for changes to your cervix. As long as there's no shortening or opening of the cervix, you won't have to stay with us any longer."

Switching off the machines, the doctor removes the monitors. He covers Bella's lower half with a blanket and lifts the gown so her slightly rounded abdomen is peeking out, and then he squirts the now familiar ultrasound gel on her.

With a wave of the magic wand, we are once again looking at our baby on the screen. The doctor confirms that the heartbeat is good and growth looks on target before moving on to check Bella's cervix. He takes a few measurements and snaps some pictures.

"Based on the information I received from Dr. Newton's office, there's been no change to your cervix. It's measuring exactly the same as it did at your last ultrasound."

Bella lets out a breath of relief before looking contritely at the doctor. "I feel so stupid, coming in for no reason."

"Please don't feel like that, Mrs. Cullen. There's no way you would know the difference, and we always believe it's better to be safe than sorry, which I'm sure is what Dr. Newton told you. Unfortunately, you'll probably continue to feel these off and on for the rest of your pregnancy. You'll just need to be on the lookout for any change in intensity or frequency."

Bella and I nod in understanding.

"Now, on the bright side, would you like to know what you're having?"

I look at Bella with shock on my face. We hadn't even discussed that yet. "You can tell?" I ask the doctor.

He gives a knowing smile. "Yes. It was probably too early at your last ultrasound, but I can tell you for sure now if you want to know."

"Do you want to know?" Bella asks me.

"I'm fine either way," I tell her. "It's kind of exciting to wait, but at the same time, I'm excited right now to find out."

She laughs and says, "Let's find out."

At my nod of approval, the doctor moves the ultrasound wand again to find the right angle. I can see it before he even says anything. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, meet your baby boy."

My smile is a mile wide, and I look over to see tears in Bella's eyes. I wouldn't care what we were having, but somehow knowing makes it all that more real.

"A boy," Bella says quietly with a smile on her face.

We leave the hospital about a half hour later with pictures of our son and instructions for Bella to drink more water to help with the contractions.

"Let's stop at Carlisle and Esme's," Bella suggests and I agree.

Ever since we announced the pregnancy, Esme has been so excited about the baby. She even taught herself how to knit, telling us she wanted to be able to make something for her grandchild.

That was another interesting discussion, when Esme told us she wanted to be the child's grandmother. Technically, she'll be his aunt by blood and only his grandmother by marriage. In such an odd situation, I wasn't sure where that would leave her. But, she insisted that she wanted to be a grandmother for two reasons. For one thing, her husband would be a grandfather no matter what. And the second reason, which of course made Bella cry both tears of joy and sorry, was because Bella's parents weren't around to fill the role.

We walk into the house unannounced, as we always do, and find Esme in the kitchen making dinner.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" she asks with a smile when she sees us.

"Is Carlisle around? We have some news that we wanted to share with you guys," Bella responds.

"I think he's in his office. I'll go get him. You'll stay for dinner?" Esme calls out as she heads toward Dad's office.

"That sounds great, Esme. Thanks," I answer.

Esme returns with my dad and we all exchange greetings.

"So, what's going on?" Esme asks eagerly.

Bella starts explaining. "Well, we had to stop at the hospital today. Before you ask, everything's fine. I was having Braxton Hicks contractions so my doctor just wanted me to get checked out." I can see the relief on both of their faces. "Anyway, while we were there, we got a few new pictures of the baby."

Bella hands each of them one of the photos with "It's a Boy!" written at the top and an arrow pointing to his goods.

Esme laughs out loud and my dad smiles widely. "This is great," Dad offers. "This was probably the first time they could tell, huh?" Ever the doctor, I'm sure he knows that the gender isn't visible until about sixteen weeks.

"Well, she had an ultrasound two weeks ago and they didn't say anything," I say. "Today, Dr. Gerandy was able to see it clearly though."

"This is wonderful!" Esme exclaims. "Now we can start to plan the nursery and get you registered …"

My wife goes off into the kitchen with her sister to start planning, and I can't wipe the smile off my face. Dad and I head to the family room while we wait for dinner.

After a few minutes of idle chit chat, Dad turns serious. "You know, I wasn't sure how Esme was going to handle news of a baby boy."

I look at him, surprised that he's bringing this up with me. He's never mentioned it before, but I guess there was never a reason to.

"I don't know if you're aware," he continues. "But, Esme had a son that died a few days after birth."

I nod and take a deep breath. "Yeah, Bella mentioned it a while ago, but she didn't give me any details. I think she was concerned about how Esme would react to our news initially, so she wanted me to know what was behind it."

"There's not really much to tell," he says softly. "The complications during his birth left her without the ability to carry another child and ultimately led to the demise of her marriage. But, she came to terms with it all a long time ago, and I really believe that she's excited for you both."

"I don't doubt that. She's going to be a wonderful grandmother."

We sit quietly for a few minutes, each of us lost in our own thoughts, until I have another question.

"Hey, Dad," I say, waiting for him to acknowledge me. "Do you know what her son's name was?"

"Jack."

I nod and hum.

We spend most of the evening at their house, staying after dinner to play cards for a while. Ever since the wedding, things have gotten so much easier between us and we truly enjoy our time with them, so we're actually almost regretful when we have to leave because Bella's getting tired.

Surprisingly, she attacks me almost as soon as we walk in our door.

"I thought you were tired, babe," I say questioningly between her frantic kisses.

"I seem to have caught my second wind."

"Well, then … allow me to take advantage of that second wind." I smirk as I lift her up and carry her into our bedroom.

Once I have her naked and lying on the bed, I sit back and gaze at her. If I thought her body was perfection before, it has nothing on her shape while she's carrying our child. Her breasts are fuller and her hips slightly wider, but what I can't get over is the slope of her belly.

I run my hands over the roundness, which is just starting to remain showing when she's lying flat on her back. Bella's fingers thread through my hair as I kiss her belly, cherishing every inch of her perfect skin with our child tucked beneath it.

"You're so sexy when you're worshipping our child," she says quietly.

"There's nothing sexier to me than you carrying our child … our son," I correct.

She gives me a blinding smile before I move my worship lower. I swear her taste is even sweeter now that she's pregnant, and I take every chance I can get to enjoy the flavor.

She moans when I hum against her lower lips, and groans when I tongue her repeatedly. My fingers work their way inside her slippery channel, and before long, she's panting out her release.

I quickly move above her, careful not to drop my weight on her belly, and slip inside her inviting warmth. Resting my weight on one arm, I hitch her knee over my other. Bella mewls as my thrusts go deeper, and I angle myself to hit her sweet spot on every pass.

Before long, she quivers around me, calling my name through her orgasm. With a few more deep thrusts, I release inside of her and still our bodies while we're fully connected.

Dropping her leg, I fall to the mattress in exhaustion and pull her tightly against my side. She immediately curls her body into me and rests her head on my chest.

After a few minutes of rest, we start chatting about the crazy day we've had while Bella's fingers play with the sparse hair on my chest.

"Are you happy it's a boy?" she asks.

"I'm happy he's healthy and safe," I respond. "I wouldn't have cared either way, but knowing makes it exciting."

"Yeah, that's kinda how I feel, too." She lets out a deep sigh. Lifting her head, she smiles brightly at me. "Hey, now we can start thinking of names!"

"Do you have anything in mind?"

"Not yet," she answers. "But it'll be fun to think about it."

"What do you think of Jacob?" I ask.

"I like it, but where did that come from?"

I let out a breath and run my fingers through her hair. "My dad told me that Esme's son's name was Jack. I thought maybe we could honor him."

"I think that would be wonderful."

* * *

**A/N: Almost the end, peeps! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The last chapter will post on Friday, and then the epilogue will post next week.**

**Teasers and more are always on Facebook and Twitter!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

I never really believed the saying "time flies when you're having fun" before, but I sure do now. The last few months of Bella's pregnancy have flown by, thankfully without any more drama.

Bella continues to have Braxton Hicks contractions on a regular basis, but after the first few days of them, she became able to recognize the signs. She has learned that the contractions mean that she needs to slow down, drink more water and put her feet up.

All of the extra testing that we went through points to a healthy baby boy, and we couldn't be happier.

At one week before her due date, she is a glowing picture of perfection. It's an uncharacteristically hot Saturday, so we're taking advantage of the apartment complex's pool, and I'm taking advantage of the view of my wife in a bikini. Her belly is ripe with our child. I've never seen anything sexier.

Bella is floating on her back in the pool, something she found helps with the aches and pains of pregnancy. Although I rub her back and feet whenever she asks, there are some pains that you can't get around having.

"Babe?" she calls out.

"Yeah?" I respond from my lounge chair on the pool deck.

"Are you coming in? You gotta feel this!" One of her hands is resting on her stomach, so I know she's talking about our son's movements.

I'm off my seat in a flash and cannon balling into the water. I swim underwater until I reach her side and pop up right next to her.

Laughing at my entrance, she takes my hand and places it right where hers was. "Holy cow!" I exclaim. "What the heck is he doing in there?" I can clearly feel one of his appendages—lord knows which one—poking constantly like he's trying to break out, Alien style.

"I think he's trying to make a break for it. You've got another week in there, buddy," she scolds, looking down toward her belly.

Even with all of the aches and pains, the Braxton Hicks contractions and the extra testing, Bella has never once complained about being pregnant. Most women by now would be whining about getting the kid out, but she takes it all in stride, happy to be able to carry our child to term.

With my hand still resting on her belly, I feel it begin to tighten up. "Is that a Braxton Hicks contraction?" I ask, but quickly get concerned as I watch her face contort in pain.

She breathes deeply for a moment and drops her feet to the bottom of the pool while waiting for it to pass, and I feel her muscles loosen up as her face relaxes. "Hmm," she breathes in relief. "That one was a little more intense than they usually are. Will you help me out so I can get some water?"

She swims to the ladder on the side of the pool with me following behind her. I help push her up the ladder and wait until she's safely on the deck before I climb out.

As I watch the adorable way she waddles over to our chairs, I notice something I hadn't seen before. Her belly looks much lower than it did a few days ago. She's carried high this entire time, essentially looking like she had first a basketball, then a watermelon, shoved up her shirt since she didn't gain weight anywhere else but her belly. But today, I'd swear that watermelon is sitting several inches below where it used to be.

Bella grabs a bottle of water and begins chugging it as soon as she plops down on the lounge chair, almost emptying it in one go.

"You know, it looks like he's dropped some," I tell her as I sit down on the chair next to her.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he has 'cause I can feel it in my bladder. It feels like every movement he makes is a direct hit right there," she says, pointing to said organ. "Guess he's getting ready to come out soon."

"One more week," I tell him sternly, feeling him wriggle around in his limited space under my hand. "Man, he's really on the move today."

I'll never forget the first time I felt him move. Bella started feeling him not long after we found out he was a boy. She said it felt like bubbles popping on the inside, but we were both disappointed that we couldn't feel it from the outside.

One night, only about two weeks later, I was having my daily chat with my son when I felt pressure against my hand. Bella's eyes were as wide as mine as she felt the stronger movement internally. I was so happy to be able to feel him—I might have cried a little.

"I know," she confirms. "He's not usually this active during the day. Wonder if it was something I ate."

As soon as she finishes her water, she picks up her book and starts reading. I go back to the crossword puzzle I was working on, and we enjoy the warmth of the sun and the quiet.

Only a few minutes later, I see her hand fly to her stomach and her face twist in pain again.

"Another one?" I ask unnecessarily.

She nods her head and tries to breathe calmly like we were taught in the childbirth class.

"Maybe we should go inside," I offer. "Maybe the sun's too much?"

As soon as the pain has left her face, she lets out one last deep breath and nods. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

I quickly pack up our belongings and then help Bella to stand from her chair. I honestly won't ever understand how a woman as tiny as she is can carry around something that large in her belly, but she makes it work.

She moves to step into her flip flops and I hold her hand so she won't topple over. Before she can get her second foot in her shoe, she calls out, "Oh, shit!"

I look down and see she's standing in a puddle that did not come from her wet bathing suit or hair.

"Did your water just break?" I ask, my voice about an octave higher than usual.

She's gripping her stomach with both hands and breathing hard again. "Considering I can only hold about an ounce of pee at a time these days, I'd have to say that was _not_ pee."

"Hang in there, buddy," I say, bending down and kissing her belly. "We're gonna get Mommy to the hospital!" I kiss Bella once, too, before taking her hand and leading her out of the pool area.

We slowly make our way home, call Dr. Newton and get ready to go to the hospital. After quick showers, I gather our pre-packed bags and load them into the car while Bella calls to let Esme and Rose know we're on our way.

Since the moment her water broke, the contractions have picked up in frequency and intensity. I feel horrible for the pain she's in with every bump of the car on the drive over, but I do my best to get her there quickly.

Once at the hospital, we head straight for the maternity floor. A nurse greets us and gets Bella checked in. Thanks to Dr. Newton's call, we're shown to a room instead of triage since Bella's water has already broken. I help her into a gown and then she's hooked up to the monitors.

The nurse quickly explains to me how to read the contractions on the monitor so I can help Bella through them, but it doesn't take a genius to figure them out by the pained look on her face.

When the nurse leaves, I sit by Bella's side and take her hand in mine. "What do you need, Angel?"

"Nothing, Edward," she says in a rare contraction-free moment. "Just don't leave me."

She's near tears and looks frightened, so I lean over and kiss her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here every step of the way."

A tear slips out of her eye but I'm quick to wipe it away while she lets out a bitter laugh. "I can't believe I thought about doing this by myself. I don't know what I'd do without you." Her hold on my hand tightens.

"Well, you're never going to have to find out. You're stuck with me, Mrs. Cullen."

"I lo—" she starts, before she's cut off by the pain of another contraction.

"I know, baby. I love you, too," I say soothingly, trying to help her through it. I rub her back gently when she leans forward over her belly, and talk her through until I see the spike on the monitor start to drop. "The worst is over. It's coming down now."

She flops back on the pillow when she's able to breathe normally again, just as Dr. Newton enters the room with the nurse.

"Bella!" he says animatedly. "I understand we're having a baby today."

"Looks that way, Doc," Bella jokes. I'm happy to see that even through the pain, she's able to make light of the situation.

"Okay, I'm just going to check you out and see how close we are to delivery." He puts on some gloves and moves to the foot of the bed, preparing for an internal exam, while I stay near Bella's head and hold her hand.

She winces a bit as he begins the exam and then moans as another contraction starts. Thankfully, he finishes quickly.

"Well, it looks like this little guy is eager to meet you. You're already seven centimeters and seventy percent effaced. Shouldn't be too long, now."

Dr. Newton leaves the room with a promise to send in the anesthesiologist and come back to check on her soon. Only about ten minutes later, the anesthesiologist arrives and administers an epidural, the relief immediately showing on Bella's face once it's been placed.

We relax quietly, chatting about the excitement of our son arriving until a knock on the door announces the arrival of our family. Rose, Emmett, my dad and Esme all enter together.

My dad and I engage in a somewhat technical medical discussion while the girls talk about Bella's labor.

"So much better now that I have the epidural," I hear Bella say. I smile, thankful that she's not in so much pain anymore.

After about an hour, I look up at the monitor and notice that the contractions are almost on top of each other. I'm about to call for a nurse when one enters the room.

"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," she says politely. "I'm Kate, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be helping you through delivery very shortly. I've already called Dr. Newton. He should be here momentarily."

As soon as the doctor arrives, everyone else is ushered out of the room. Dr. Newton looks over the printout of Bella's contractions before addressing us.

"Kate called because she saw how close your contractions were getting. I'm going to check, but I'm pretty sure you should be just about ready to start pushing."

He does another internal exam before wordlessly breaking down the bottom of the bed. "This guy really wants out! He's already at plus three station."

I know that means something, but with my mind on the fact that our son will be here shortly, I can't process it to figure it out.

Kate and Dr. Newton get busy with their preparations, and as instructed, I stay near Bella's head and hold one of her legs while Kate holds the other. Kate watches the monitor and tells Bella when to start pushing, counting for her and telling her when to breathe. I whisper encouraging words in her ear as she sweats and groans while giving birth to our son.

"Come on, baby. You can do it. You're the strongest woman I know."

"Dad, you wanna take a peek down here?" Dr. Newton asks.

Bella gives me a nod in between pushes, so I lean over and see the dark hair on the top of my son's head peeking out.

"He's almost here, baby. You're doing great," I tell her, the tears already threatening to spill from the corners of my eyes.

Kate resumes her counting. Bella resumes her pushing. Dr. Newton asks her to stop for a moment, and she groans again.

"It burns!" she calls out. "I need to push!"

"Okay, go ahead," Dr. Newton tells her, having done whatever he needed to do down there.

With the next push, our son slips free from Bella's body and my eyes go wide as I see his tiny form for the first time. Dr. Newton places him on Bella's stomach while Kate rubs him with a towel. I hear the most wonderful sound in the world—my son's cry.

Kissing the side of Bella's head, I whisper, "You did it. He's wonderful. I love you so much."

"Dad, would you like to cut the cord?"

I nod and take the scissors from Dr. Newton with a shaky hand, cutting where he shows me and severing the tie between mother and child.

Kate wraps him in a blanket and takes him over to the bassinette while I hug my wife. The tears are now flowing freely.

"Go with him," Bella urges through her tears. "Make sure he's okay."

I do as ordered, although I'm torn between wanting to stay by her side and wanting to be with our son. I watch as Kate cleans him up, weighs and measures him, puts a tiny bracelet on his ankle and takes his footprints. As soon as she's done, she wraps him up and places him in my arms.

I am amazed, staring at this beautiful creature in my arms that Bella and I created. I place a kiss on his little face and breathe him in. Slowly, I walk over to Bella and place him in her arms.

She smiles blindingly at him and then at me. "I love you," she says. "He's perfect." She kisses his forehead just as he starts to nuzzle around toward her body.

"I think somebody's hungry already," I tell her.

It's amazing how babies instinctively know what to do. Bella offers him her breast and he immediately latches on, sucking like he's been doing it for years. I feel like my heart is going to explode with love as I watch my wife and son together.

Once she's finished and the medical staff has cleared out, Bella asks me to go get our family. I jog out to the waiting room and usher everyone back to Bella's room.

There are smiles and congratulations all around. Finally, with my son in her arms, Esme asks, "What's his name?"

I nod at Bella, and she makes the announcement. "Everyone, we'd like to introduce Jacob Charles Cullen. Es, I hope you don't mind, but we wanted to honor Jack."

Esme shakes her head, the tears streaming down her face making it near impossible to speak. "Perfect," she chokes out.

"Rose, Emmett," I start. "We were hoping you would be Jake's Godparents."

Rose nods, biting her lip. She wipes a tear from her face, and I watch as her engagement ring sparkles when it catches the fluorescent lights. Emmett, on the other hand, speaks up. "Dude, this little guy is going to be so spoiled!"

Jake gets passed around through all of the arms in the room as I sit on the bed and hold my wife. I watch all the love pouring out from everyone—love for us, for each other, and most importantly, for our son.

As I take it all in, I realize that my life has never felt as complete as it does at this moment, surrounded by the most important people in the world to me—my family.

* * *

**A/N: **wiping tears** I'm sad to say that this is the last regular chapter of A Family Affair. The epilogue will post on the regular schedule on Tuesday. There might be a little surprise in the epi.**

**I've decided to contribute an outtake for A Family Affair to Fandom for Oklahoma. I would love it if you would donate to this worthy cause, which can be found at Oklahoma dot fandomcause dot info. For those of you who want to know what happened to Jasper, this is where you'll find it! I'll be posting a teaser in the next few days, but there are plenty of awesome contributions with teasers already posted, so please check it out. The outtake will not post here until sometime in September.**

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	31. Chapter 31 - Epilogue

**Chapter 31 – Epilogue**

"Who's a stinky boy? Did my Jakey make a mess?" I ask in a singsong voice. My son looks up at me from his place on the changing table and smiles. "It's okay, sweetie. Mommy loves you even when you're stinky."

I finish changing Jake's diaper and quickly put his clothes back on since we're already running slightly behind schedule. I lift a squirming seven-month-old into my arms and turn to find my handsome husband leaning in the doorway, smiling at us.

Some days, I still find it hard to believe that he is mine—that this life is mine.

"Let me take him while you wash your hands. Everything's in the car and ready to go," my amazing husband tells me.

I do as he says, wandering into the bathroom with my mind focused on how we got to this point in our lives.

Just two years ago, I hated my life and thought I would never be this happy again. I was married to someone who loved his job more than me, and he was cheating on me to boot. But once I made the decision to leave him for good, _that_ was when my life really started.

I vividly remember the way Edward looked when I arrived in Forks, so grown up and incredibly handsome. And the way his first kiss felt on my lips still sent my heart rate into overdrive. Sure, I had been crying over my failed marriage and was scared for the future, but little did he know that I was also crying because I just wanted to be loved by someone like him.

Somehow, Edward always knew just what I needed and made no apologies over giving it to me. When we talked after the disastrous first kiss, he had no idea that his words were the exact thing that I needed to hear at the time.

_"If you need a friend, I will be a friend. If you need a lover, I will gladly show you what it's like to be worshipped."_

And worship me, he did. It was just what I needed. Even if it was wrong, I couldn't find it in me to care. This beautiful, smart, sexy man put _me_ first and acted as if I were the most important thing in his world.

Then, he never stopped. Every day since then, he's treated me like I'm precious to him. Falling in love with him was so easy that I almost didn't even realize it had happened.

"Babe? You coming?"

I shake myself out of my memories and join my family in the living room. I smile at my two men, who mean the world to me. They are practically carbon copies of each other, with the exception of Jake's darker hair, although his is just as wild as his daddy's.

"Ready," I announce, picking up my purse and putting on my winter coat.

The drive over to Carlisle and Esme's house is short, and before I know it, Edward and I are saying goodbye to our son for the next two days.

"You be a good boy for Poppop and Mimi," I hear Edward tell him while I give Esme instructions.

"You know how to thaw the breast milk, right? And don't forget to mix it up because it settles. He really likes table food better than the baby food, but I left plenty of that just in case …"

Esme cuts me off with a smile and a hand on my shoulder. "We'll be fine. I take care of him every day, and you'll only be a phone call away," she reassures. "Now, go! Enjoy some quiet time with your husband." She turns me around and pushes me toward the door.

Of course, I sneak back in to give Jake one more kiss, finding Edward doing the same.

"All right, sweetheart. Let's go now, or else we'll never get out of here," he says, leading me to the door.

We get in the car and make the almost four hour drive to Hotel 1000 in Seattle. We weren't able to come back for our anniversary since I was still nursing Jacob too often, but decided to make the trip now that he only nurses twice a day.

And although it's not our wedding anniversary, it's another anniversary of sorts—the two year anniversary of when I returned to Forks, and two years since the love between us grew.

We're only staying for two days, so we'll be back in time to celebrate Jacob's first Christmas with him and our family. But, in the hustle and bustle of daily life, having a baby and returning to work, Edward and I are in desperate need of some alone time.

Thank God Esme and Carlisle were more than willing to take Jake for two nights. I have no doubts that Uncle Emmett and Aunt Rose will make an appearance at their house as well. They love spending time with their Godson, and frankly, I'm pretty sure they're practicing for when it's their turn.

When we walk down the hallway toward our room, I realized that somehow Edward was able to book the same exact suite that we stayed in for our honeymoon. God, I love this man!

He takes our bags into the bedroom, and I follow him in. My arms go around his neck as soon as he's put everything down, and I just hug him tightly, thankful for the time alone with him. I love being a mother and couldn't possibly love Jake more, but I am so ready for some time with my man.

"The first thing I wanna do," he says quietly as he holds me to him. "Is get in that bathtub with you." His hands rub up and down my back gently.

"Mmm, that sounds fabulous," I tell him with my head resting on his chest.

We strip rapidly, both of us used to hurried sexcapades these days since there's no way of telling when we'll be interrupted, and then make our way into the bathroom. Edward gets the tub going while I start teasing him a little, hugging him from behind and running my hands up and down his torso.

He turns and kisses me soundly while the tub fills with hot water and scented bubbles. "There's no rush tonight, Mrs. Cullen," he tells me with a sly smile. I realize this means he has some teasing of his own planned.

Bring. It. On.

We slip into the water together and I lay with my back on Edward's muscular chest. Using a washcloth, he rubs the bubbles into the skin of my neck and shoulders, massaging a bit as he goes. I hum in contentment, enjoying how he always knows just how to take care of me.

Before I know it, he's kissing my neck and running his hands over my body under the water. That's just one more thing I appreciate about Edward; I may no longer have the same body I had before Jake, but he constantly tells me how sexy my new curves are, and he takes every chance he can get to appreciate them.

He's getting me good and worked up, so I spin around and straddle him, capturing his mouth with my own. We kiss passionately for what seems like hours, enjoying the freedom to do so.

When I start grinding my center over his, he gently pushes me back a little. "Baby, we can't in here. We need a condom."

I look at him shyly and bite my bottom lip in nervousness. "What if I don't want to use a condom?"

"What are you saying? You're ready?" His eyes light up in excitement.

Edward's made no secret of the fact that he wants more children and would have started trying as soon as the doctor cleared me to have sex again. Surprisingly, I was the one who needed to wait a little while. Between nursing, then starting back to work and trying to get into a routine, it took me some time to get into the swing of things. Edward's a fantastic father and helps out wherever he can, but middle of the night feedings belonged to me no matter what. Even if Edward gave Jacob a bottle, I'd still have to get up to pump.

Now that things have settled down, I'm ready. There's nothing more in the world I want than to give Edward the full family that he desires.

"Yes," I say quietly. "I'm ready."

He cups my cheeks in his hands and draws my face in for a gentle kiss. "I love you, Bella. You know I'd wait."

"I know," I tell him. "But I don't want to wait anymore."

With that, our talk is over. We kiss passionately, our tongues mingling in a practiced rhythm, as Edward pulls my body over his.

I slowly slide down his erection until our bodies meet. The feelings of fullness, completion and love threaten to overwhelm me as we push and pull, give and take, until we're both crying out in ecstasy.

No matter how wrong it might have been when we started out together, there is nothing more right than being with Edward—my love, my life, my family.

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**A/N: Thank you all for taking this journey with me. What started out as a sexy, little one shot has morphed into a story of love and family. I appreciate each and every one of you who took the time to read my words. I truly enjoyed writing them for you. Thank you for all of the alerts, favorites and reviews. Those of you who took the time to review every chapter hold a special place in my heart. And, some of **_**your**_** crazy words kept me inspired.**

**Although this story is now marked complete, don't forget that I'm donating an outtake—which includes Jasper—to the Fandom for Oklahoma (Oklahoma dot fandomcause dot info). A teaser will post there soon, and I'll also post it on my Facebook page. Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause. You'll not only get my outtake two months earlier than everyone else, you'll also get the full compilation of amazing contributions.**

**I had planned to take a break from writing when I finished A Family Affair and Bass Instinct, but inspiration has struck again and I'm already working on my next story. I don't know when it will begin posting, but keep me on alert so you can find out.**

**And, you can always find me on Facebook or Twitter. Come play!**


	32. Chapter 32 - Fandom for Oklahoma Outtake

**A million thanks to everyone who voted for A Family Affair in the TwiFanfictionRecs July completed fics poll. It made the top 10! I am so honored, especially considering that some of the other stories were _my_ favorites. Bass Instinct also made the top 10. You guys are awesome!**

**Thank you to everyone who donated to Fandom for Oklahoma. The compilation was wonderful, with tons of great story contributions. This is the outtake that I contributed. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to MariahajilE for her quick beta work!**

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**Chapter 32 – Outtake for Fandom for Oklahoma**

November, 2014

"Mommy, done."

"Let Daddy wipe your face, my sticky little man." I lean over and give Jake a kiss on his messy lips before Edward swoops in with a wet napkin. He expertly wipes our son's mouth and hands before unbuckling him from the booster seat and setting him free to play with his favorite toys at his grandparents' house.

I look back down to the beautiful angel in my arms, who is just about finished nursing and starting to doze off.

"Let me take Lizzie when she's finished," my amazing husband offers. "You can finish eating."

As soon as Lizzie pops off my breast, I close my bra and straighten my shirt with one hand. I've become an expert at doing all of this one-handed, but Edward takes our two-month-old daughter from me anyway. He places a burp cloth over his shoulder and gently pats her back until she emits a most unladylike burp and goes back to sleep.

Everyone at the table chuckles. "I'll never get over the sounds that come out of such a tiny girl," Esme comments.

"She takes after her father," Carlisle adds.

"Thanks, Dad," Edward responds dryly.

Our baby girl looks so much like me, it's sometimes surprising. Elizabeth Rachel Cullen was conceived the very night that Edward and I decided to try for baby number two, when we celebrated the two year anniversary of when we got together. Although my pregnancy with Lizzie was just as easy as when I was pregnant with Jake, unfortunately, her delivery didn't go as smoothly.

Lizzie's heart rate kept dropping each time I tried to push her out. At first, it would go back up with no problems, but eventually, it was staying low for too long. I was rushed in for an emergency cesarean section, and the doctors found that the umbilical cord had become wrapped around her neck. Thankfully, she was born with no lasting effects, although the doctor warned that any future pregnancies may also end up as cesareans.

Edward and I are still undecided if there will be a future pregnancy, but we are leaning toward at least one more when the time is right. I'm not going to let my age deter us from having the large family we both want.

I lift my fork and dig back in to my now cool Thanksgiving dinner. "Everything's delicious as always, Es," I say around bites of food. Esme insisted on preparing the entire dinner. No matter how many times I told her I could cook something, even with two little ones to take care of, she continued to tell me it wasn't necessary. Instead, I was only allowed to contribute some desserts.

Family dinners have become such a wonderful occasion. Rose and Emmett usually join us, but tonight, they went to visit Rose's parents in Seattle. Even without them, we always enjoy our time with Carlisle and Esme. They dote on the kids like any grandparents would, and Jake can never get enough of them. Elizabeth still basically just eats, sleeps and poops, but that doesn't stop the grandparents from fawning all over her.

When Em and Rose are around, there's no such thing as volume control. Emmett plays with Jake as if he were also a year-and-a-half old; crashing cars, building with blocks only to knock them down and running all over the house screaming. Jake couldn't love his Uncle Em any more.

"The Pack-N-Play is set up in your room, Edward," Carlisle tells Edward as he walks around with a sleeping baby on his shoulder.

Edward kisses the side of Lizzie's head gently. "I'll take her up there in a minute." He's just like me, cherishing every moment with our kids, not wanting to put them down even when they're asleep.

"So, Bella, did you decide when you're going back to work yet?" Carlisle asks.

"Yeah, I'm just going to take the rest of the year off and go back in January. It doesn't make any sense to go back for a few days and then have Christmas break."

"But I'm ready for my grandbabies now," Esme pouts. She had only been working part-time before I had Jake and decided to quit her job and take care of him for me. With Carlisle's income, she never really needed to work anyway and she only did it to keep herself occupied. Now her grandson keeps her occupied, and soon, she'll have her hands full with her granddaughter, too.

I shake my head at her. "You can still come see them anytime, Es."

"I know," she responds sadly. "It's not the same as having them all to myself, though."

I'm about to take another bite of dinner when my cell phone rings. I didn't even realize it was in my pocket, so I pull it out and check the caller ID, wondering who would be calling on Thanksgiving since the whole family is here.

"It's a Phoenix area code," I mutter to no one in particular. I furrow my brows, wondering if it's Angela. I haven't spoken to her in a while, but it's possible that she'd call to wish me a happy Thanksgiving.

I step away from the table, so I'll be able to hear better, and swipe my finger across the screen to answer the call.

"Hello?" I say as I walk down the hallway and away from the noise of Jake running his cars down the track.

There's a significant pause before a familiar voice speaks. "Bella …"

I inhale a sharp gasp of air. "What do you want, Jasper?" I ask as I reach Carlisle's office and close the door behind me.

He lets out a sigh. "I just … I missed you. I just wanted to say happy Thanksgiving."

I sit on the couch and run my fingers through my hair in frustration. "You can't call me, Jasper. I've moved on with my life, and it doesn't include you."

"Come on, Bella. After all we've been through together, you don't have room in your life for me as a friend?"

"A friend? Really? I'm sorry, but my 'friends' don't treat me as if I don't matter. They don't ignore me, and they _certainly_ don't cheat on me," I say, fuming. "Why in the world would you think that I'd want to be your friend after almost three years of not even speaking to each other?" I'm trying to keep my voice down, but his arrogance is inciting my ire.

"I guess I deserved that," he responds calmly. "Look, I just meant that we did have some good times, you know?"

"Jasper," I cut in, needing to stop him before he takes a trip down memory lane. "I'm sure we did have some good times at one point, but it's really hard to get past how things ended."

"I know," he says in defeat. "And I know that I owe you an apology, so at least let me get that out …"

"Fine. Go ahead." I can listen to what he has to say.

"I'm not going to make excuses, because you'd know they were bullshit. I know things between us weren't great when we moved, and I should have tried harder to make you happy in Phoenix. Instead, I threw myself into work, because I didn't know _how_ to make you happy.

"The thing with Alice … Ah, I don't even know what happened. One day she was my secretary, and the next we were—"

I cut him off there, because I really don't need to hear this. "Are you still with her?" I ask, surprising myself. I shouldn't care, but part of me needs to know.

He sighs loudly. "No. We were together for a little while, but I probably should have realized that someone who was willing to sleep with a married man didn't exactly have the highest moral standards. When she told me she was pregnant about a year ago, I had a feeling it wasn't mine. She started pressuring me into marriage, so when I told her I wasn't ready, she threw it in my face that the baby was probably Peter's anyway."

As much as this doesn't surprise me, I'm horrified for Jasper. I may not want to be married to the guy, but that doesn't mean I wish him heartache. It must have sucked for him to find out that his girlfriend was also sleeping with his boss—a boss that he followed from Washington to Arizona. "So, what happened?" I ask.

"She decided to keep the baby, and I told her I wanted a DNA test as soon as it was born. I was really starting to get attached to him, you know? I mean, even though she didn't work for me anymore, I still saw her every day and watched her grow. But he was tested as soon as he was born and turned out to be Peter's son."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Jasper," I offer sympathetically. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult that must have been. "That must have been hard for you."

He laughs humorlessly. "Yeah. I gave my notice the day I found out, changed my phone number and eventually moved out of the condo. Thankfully, I got another job quickly, but there hasn't been anyone else in my life since Alice.

"Anyway, I really just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for how things ended up between us. I honestly never set out to hurt you. You deserve more than that out of life."

The door to Carlisle's office opens slowly, and I watch as Edward peeks his head inside. A smile covers my face as I wave him inside. "You're right, Jasper," I say, still smiling. "I do deserve more than that."

Edward sits down next to me, and I take his hand in mine. "Leaving you was probably the best choice I ever made," I continue, looking right at my husband. "Because it led me to where I really belong."

I feel Edward squeezing my hand, offering me his unwavering comfort and support.

"You're happy now?" Jasper asks.

"Immensely."

"Are you still in Forks?"

"Yes, with my family."

Edward drops my hand and wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. I put my left hand over his and admire our matching wedding bands with a smile, reminding myself of the unbreakable bond that we share.

"How's Esme? Is she still doing interior design?"

"No," I tell Jasper. "She stopped that almost a year and a half ago so she could watch her grandson during the day."

"Her grandson? Edward has a kid?"

I chuckle quietly. "Two, actually."

Jasper seems shocked. "Wow, I never pictured him as the type to settle down so young. He can't be more than what? Twenty-three? Who is he married to?"

"Me," I say simply. "And he's twenty-five."

The silence on the other end of the line is deafening. I'm sure he's quickly calculating the twelve year age difference between us. Edward leans over and kisses the top of my head while I wait for Jasper to respond.

Finally, he says dryly, "Bella … Please tell me you're kidding."

"Not at all, Jasper. I told you that I have a happy life here with my family. Edward and I have been married for two years, and we have two children together."

"Wow … Uh, wow." I give him the time he needs to take it in. "I don't know what to say. I mean, I'm glad to hear that you're happy. Just shocked, I guess."

"You can't choose who you love," I tell him honestly, smiling up at Edward.

"No, I guess not."

"Listen, Jasper, I'm actually glad you called, but I need to get back to my family now. I appreciate your apology, and I hope you can find some happiness someday, but I don't think it would do any good for us to keep in contact." I try to make sure that my tone is gentle so he knows I'm not upset, but I've moved on with my life and don't need constant reminders of the past.

"Yeah, I can understand that. I'm glad to hear that you're doing well, Bella. Even if you don't believe me, I do want you to be happy."

"I do believe that, and thank you. I want the same for you."

"Take care of yourself."

"You too, Jasper."

I end the call and take a deep, cleansing breath while Edward's arm tightens around me. He lets me sit in silence for a minute, knowing I need to digest what just happened.

Eventually, when I've wrapped my head around the conversation a little bit, I say, "Well, that was odd."

Edward laughs quietly before turning serious. "Are you okay?" His hand rubs soothing circles on my shoulder.

I look up at him and smile. "Yep, I'm more than okay." I lean up and he meets me halfway, our lips melting together in perfect harmony as they always do.

"Why don't we get back to dinner?" Edward offers after our kiss ends.

I smirk at him. "You don't even want to know what he had to say?"

He shrugs. "You know I'll listen if you want to talk about it, but it's fine if you don't."

"Eh, there's not much to it. He thought we could be friends after all this time, although I suspect it's only because he's lonely. Honestly, I think I'm glad he called. It kind of feels like closure now. I know that's all behind me, and I don't ever have to talk to him again."

"Well, then I'm glad you could get your closure, baby," Edward offers. He hugs me to him, and being wrapped in his arms feels as perfect as it always does, like I'm home.

"I love you."

"Love you, too," he says, pecking me on the lips. "Shall we?"

He stands up and offers me his hand, which I take gratefully, knowing I'd follow him anywhere. Although we have our share of disagreements, I know that Edward always has my best interests at heart in everything he does. He'd never do anything that would hurt me or the kids, and he'd protect us with his life.

When this crazy relationship started, I thought for sure that we'd both lose interest once the novelty wore off and life got back to normal. But that never happened. Life turned out to only be normal when I had Edward by my side, supporting me, loving me and taking care of me.

Who knew that turning to a family friend for comfort from your worst pain could become the most amazing happily ever after?

Hand in hand, we stroll back into the dining room. I see that Esme and Carlisle have already cleared the table and are putting the dishes and leftover food away.

"Who's ready for dessert?" I call out.

"Me, Mommy! Me! Me!" Jake comes barreling into the room from his play area, and I drop down to my knees with my arms wide open. He smacks into me and wraps his little arms around me.

I hold his body tightly to me and stand up. Edward's arms encase both of us and I soak up the love of my family, a family I once thought I would never have, a family that I am thankful for every minute of every day.

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**My new story, Altered Measure, just started posting. I hope you'll check it out.**


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